2024 Budget
2024 Adopted Budget
On December 7th, the Erie County Legislature adopted a 2024 County Budget with amendments. The Legislature-approved amendments did not change the County Executive’s 2024 Proposed Budget allocation for the Library Fund.
The 2024 Operating and Grants Budget sustains library operations and services in an evolving post-COVID world. It prioritizes public access to resources, programs and services to help us serve our communities. A county funding increase of $1,390,013 (4.9%) will help offset inflation related impacts on library operating costs, including contractually obligated labor costs, a $0.80 per hour increase in the minimum wage, costs of supplies and utilities in this challenging fiscal environment.
The Library’s overall operating budget, including State Aid and library revenue, increases 5.4% from 2023’s $31,491,387 to $33,105,584 in 2024. Including recurring grants, the combined total increase is 4.0% from 2023’s $32,213,226 to $33,707,002 in 2024.
While not part of the Library’s operating budget, the County’s Capital Budget provides: $700,000 in bond funds for Central Library Improvements & Upgrades and $130,000 in “Pay As You Go” funds for Central Library Shipping & Maintenance Vehicle Replacement.
Information on the adopted budget may be found in the links below. This page will be updated as the budget process moves forward.
2024 Adopted Budget Information
2024 B&ECPL Adopted Budget Document (pdf)
2024 B&ECPL Adopted Budget by Cost Center (pdf)
2024 Proposed Budget
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz released his 2024 Proposed Budget on September 29th 2023. He is recommending a county funding increase of $1,614,197 (4.9%) to libraries. The additional funding will help offset inflation related impacts on library operating costs, including contractually obligated labor costs, costs of supplies in this challenging fiscal environment.
County funding of $29,675,375, combined with New York State operating aid funding of $2,415,951, use of $716,119 in Library fund balance, and $298,139 in other library revenue, brings the Library’s 2024 proposed operating budget to $33,105,584; a 5.4%% increase over the 2023 County Adopted Budget. In addition to the operating budget, $601,418 in estimated state aid is included in the Library Grants Budget.
Erie County’s 2024 Proposed Capital Budget supports improvements to the county owned downtown Central Library and to system related improvements, specifically:
$700,000 in bond funds for Various Improvements & Upgrades
$130,000 in “Pay As You Go” funds for a Shipping and Maintenance Vehicle Replacement
We are extremely grateful to County Executive Mark Poloncarz and the Erie County Legislature for their support of libraries, especially during these challenging times.
The next event in the budget review process will be the Library’s budget hearing before the Erie County Legislature’s Finance & Management/Budget Committee expected to be scheduled for a date in approximately mid-November. A public hearing/comment opportunity on the overall County Budget is expected to be scheduled later in November. This page will be updated once dates and times are finalized. The Legislature’s deliberations will continue until their vote on the proposed budget, scheduled for December 1st. Should there be any vetoes, the Legislature has scheduled a veto override vote on December 15th.
Information on the proposed budget may be found in the links below. This page will be updated as the budget process moves forward.
Erie County Proposed Budget Document Excerpts - Library Operating, Grants & Capital (pdf)