BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- A town resident told the Town Council that taxpayers are confused about the proposed library tax and they should do more to educate the public.

"If the town supports this, I think there's more education that needs to be given so the people support this," Susan Gray told the councilors at their Wednesday, Jan. 29 meeting.

The library is proposing they shift to funding through the Massena Central School District.

At a community forum in November, Library Director Elaine Dunne said taxpayers in the school district will pay a library tax to the school district, which in turn gives it to the library. The voters would approve the initial funding as an individual ballot item, separate from the school board budget, and will vote for library board trustees at the same time.

The idea of going to the school district model is so residents in Louisville and Norfolk will pay towards a library that they often use.

"They (taxpayers) think this is going to be part of school taxes. They don't understand it as a separate line item on their tax bills," Gray said.

"You're absolutely right. It has to be disseminated. It's starting to become disseminated ... especially since you're dealing with [multiple] towns," Councilor Albert Nicola said.

Councilor Sue Bellor, one of the board's library liaisons, said they are asking library officials to give the public a detailed explanation of what people would pay under the new proposal.

"I asked them to provide certain house assessments and what it will cost so there will be a better picture," she said.

"We've asked the library to give us a formal presentation. We'd like to hear a solid proposal, so we can make a decision to support," Councilor Robert Elsner said.

Town Supervisor Steve O'Shaughnessy said he wants that to happen at their February meeting.

Bellor said the vote on going over to the school district model may be in June, but no date has been decided.