2020 Library Vote Information
Update June 17, 2020: The Library's 2020-2021 tax levy proposal was approved with over 61 percent in favor. There were 1684 yes votes and 1061 no votes. The Library is thankful to everyone that took the opportunity to vote and grateful for the financial certainty the new levy provides given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our expenses and other income sources.
Update June 8, 2020: The deadline for mailed votes to be received for the Library's tax levy vote has been extended to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 by order of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The extended deadline applies to mail-in ballots only. The 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 deadline still applies to hand-delivered ballots.
Based on Governor Cuomo's executive order, the vote has been rescheduled from its original May 19 date to June 9. In addition, all votes are to be submitted via absentee ballots that will be mailed to eligible voters within the Geneva City School District.
The Tax Proposal
The Geneva Public Library has proposed a $0.10 tax increase per $1,000 in assessed property value. A vote on the proposal will be held on Tuesday, June 9 via absentee ballots mailed to the voters within the Geneva City School District. If passed, the cost to the average household will increase by an estimated $13.55 per year*.
Although the votes appear on the same absentee ballot mailers, the Library and school budgets, and trustees, are independent of each other. Thanks to the school district, the shared ballot and vote resources make the library vote more accessible to the community and more efficient for the Library.
The proposed levy provides funding to offset increases in the NYS minimum wage and enables the Library to operate with more financial certainty given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our expenses and other income sources. Due to the pandemic, the Library expects to see a significant decrease in NYS funding, which is used for collections, personnel costs, and construction grants. It also predicts decreases in funding from donations, overdue fees, reference service fees, and other vital income sources. In contrast, expenses for personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies and building maintenance will increase in response to the pandemic. The tax levy revenue helps us handle the uncertainty of other income sources while remaining steadfast in our commitment to providing materials, programming, and other physical and virtual services to our community.
Polling Location
Voting will not be held at a physical location. Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters within the Geneva City School District in accordance with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo's Executive Order 202.26.
Update June 8, 2020: The deadline for mailed votes to be received for the Library's tax levy vote has been extended to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 by order of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The extended deadline applies to mail-in ballots only. The 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 deadline still applies to hand-delivered ballots.
Based on Governor Cuomo's executive order, the vote has been rescheduled from its original May 19 date to June 9. In addition, all votes are to be submitted via absentee ballots that will be mailed to eligible voters within the Geneva City School District.
The Tax Proposal
The Geneva Public Library has proposed a $0.10 tax increase per $1,000 in assessed property value. A vote on the proposal will be held on Tuesday, June 9 via absentee ballots mailed to the voters within the Geneva City School District. If passed, the cost to the average household will increase by an estimated $13.55 per year*.
Although the votes appear on the same absentee ballot mailers, the Library and school budgets, and trustees, are independent of each other. Thanks to the school district, the shared ballot and vote resources make the library vote more accessible to the community and more efficient for the Library.
The proposed levy provides funding to offset increases in the NYS minimum wage and enables the Library to operate with more financial certainty given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our expenses and other income sources. Due to the pandemic, the Library expects to see a significant decrease in NYS funding, which is used for collections, personnel costs, and construction grants. It also predicts decreases in funding from donations, overdue fees, reference service fees, and other vital income sources. In contrast, expenses for personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies and building maintenance will increase in response to the pandemic. The tax levy revenue helps us handle the uncertainty of other income sources while remaining steadfast in our commitment to providing materials, programming, and other physical and virtual services to our community.
Polling Location
Voting will not be held at a physical location. Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters within the Geneva City School District in accordance with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo's Executive Order 202.26.
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Information Handouts
Eligibility to Vote
Geneva City School District residents 18 years of age or older may register to vote. Qualified persons can register to vote on the Library tax levy by registering in the following manners by mail or in person (availability impacted bu Covid-19 restrictions) with the Ontario County Board of Elections at 20 Ontario St, Canandaigua. 
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Public Information Meeting Schedule
Geneva Public Library-Community Room Contact
For questions regarding the vote, contact Library Director, Chris Finger, cfinger@pls-net.org, 315-789-5303, ext. 106. Why Does the Library Tax Appear on the School Vote Ballet and Tax Bill?
The Library and the Geneva City School District are completely separate entities, each with its own board, budget, administration, and staff. NYS gives the school district the authority to run library votes and holding the vote along with the school budget vote saves the Library time and money. For the same cost savings and efficiency reasons, the school district collects the approved library tax levy funding and distributes it to the Library. The library tax or library expenses are not part of the school district's budget. The district’s Board of Education decides whether to request a tax increase for their own school budget. Library Facts
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* Costs per assessed property value based on estimated library tax rate and Zillow Home Value Index for area code 14456 as of 3/9/2020, https://www.zillow.com/seneca-ny-14456/home-values/.