WHITE PLAINS - After imposing a round of budget cuts on the city library this year and proposing even deeper cuts for the fiscal year beginning June 30, Mayor Joseph Delfino last night got the book thrown at him by a roomful of bibliophiles, including the women who lead the library's board and its foundation, several library employees and members of the League of Women Voters.

"We've already voted to increase fees, close on two long holiday weekends and eliminate some popular services," library Chairwoman Julie Trelstad told Delfino at a Common Council hearing on his $160 million budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, which would cut library funding by 10 percent on top of the 5 percent Delfino ordered from the library in December. "Without sufficient staff, it will be impossible for us to avoid closing the library in the evenings (and for) one or two additional days."

Delfino proposed cutting library funding by $615,392 in the budget for all city departments and agencies that he sent to the council last month, which includes a 4.9 percent property tax increase and a $12.5 million deficit.

Library supporters said the institution suffered disproportionately under the first round of cuts Delfino ordered from most department heads last year, and they alleged last night that the library would suffer most in the new budget.

The Parking Department would see its $11.2 million budget cut $21,000 next year, or 0.2 percent, under Delfino's spending plan. Public Works' $26.6 million budget would shrink $72,513, or 0.3 percent; and the budget for the mayor's office would shrink $1,137, to $844,924, or 0.1 percent.

Other critics had other budget bones to pick with Delfino last night.

League of Women Voters President Marge Davis said leasing city garages at The Galleria mall and the library to private operators - which Delfino has suggested, but has not included in his budget proposal - would "most certainly result in higher parking fees to users and would be of more benefit to the lessee than to the city."

Both Democratic candidates running for Common Council also spoke.

"If this budget is passed as it is, it will set off a string of unintended consequences," including setting the stage for future deficits, all but depleting the city's reserve fund and increasing borrowing costs, said council candidate Beth Smayda. "Poor financial decisions can set off a cascade of negative effects, which could take years to repair."

Delfino sat calmly through the critique and did not spar with speakers, as he often does at hearings. Before the hearing, he responded to an article published in The Journal News that reported that Democratic mayoral candidate Adam Bradley has been consulting with council Democrats on the budget.

"In the spirit of cooperation, I would be most interested in hearing and possibly incorporating (Bradley's) ideas as soon as possible," Delfino said in a note to the Democrats, which he e-mailed to the newspaper.

Also yesterday, finance officials reported that sales-tax collections ticked up 2.3 percent in the quarter that ended March 31, but the rise was due to the quarter-of-a-cent increase in the tax last summer, not increased spending. Overall, sales-tax revenue is projected to increase about 5 percent for the year, but would drop 7 percent had the tax rate not been increased, acting Budget Director David Birdsall said.

The Journal News - White Plains, N.Y.
Author: Keith Eddings
Date: May 5, 2009