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Putnam Valley Letter: Voting No On Library Budget Doesn't Close Library

PUTNAM VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Putnam Daily Voice accepts signed and original letters to the editor up to 350 words. To submit your letter, email putnam@dailyvoice.com.

Send your letters to the editor to putnam@dailyvoice.com.

Send your letters to the editor to putnam@dailyvoice.com.

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To the editor: 

The Putnam Valley Library says we want to close the library by voting no the proposition.

Voting no on the Putnam Valley Library’s proposition doesn’t close the library. It only keeps our tax dollars allocated to the library in the hands of our elected Town Board as it has been for decades. 

That’s an outrageous statement that I or any of the Concerned Taxpayers of Putnam Valley want the library closed. 

Nothing is further from the truth. I don’t know anyone in our community that wants the library closed. We just want an elected board to decide on our tax dollars. 

We want transparency on how are tax dollars are being spent, a little truth of what is really on the ballot instead of a misleading question. 

“Shall the annual contribution of the town of Putnam Valley for the operating budget of the Putnam Valley Free Library be increased by $27,778.00 to the sum of $320,000 annually? 

The 414 charter recommends the wording but if the library was transparent and truthful with the voters they could have worded the question stating the library wants to become a 414 Association, which would take the tax levy away from our elected Town Board and add a separate tax line like our school. 

The question on the ballot is misleading and makes the voters think they are just voting for an increase in taxpayer funding. 

The library also could have decided on an elected board, nothing in the 414 charter says that they can’t. 

The taxpayers want an elected board that could be vetted and voted in. 

The statement in the library’s presentation, “Once the 414 passes the library will present the budget directly to the voters” just leads the voters and taxpayer to believe the Library is not being transparent. 

Why? If the library was transparent and honest it might have gained trust instead of deception.

Voting no on the Library’s proposition doesn’t close the library.

It only keeps our tax dollars allocated to the library in the hands of our elected town board as it has been for decades. 

Dan Vera

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