What is the difference between a 414 vote and a school district ballot (a.k.a. “259 vote”)?
Chapter 414 allows for a library to place a proposition on the ballot to let taxpayers have a say in how much a municipality will spend on library services. It will follow municipal lines, not school district lines as the 259 vote does. New York State Education Law ยง 259 provides public libraries in New York State (including Association Libraries) with the ability to place a funding proposition on a school district ballot*. In New York it is unlikely that a library currently servicing an entire school district is not already a school district public library. Therefore, if you share a school district with other libraries it would be prudent to use this mechanism jointly to avoid unfair taxation. *This process often requires that the library board simply pass a resolution notifying the school board that it wants to place a funding proposition on the ballot for the upcoming school district election. However, local school districts may require a formal petition process. That entails gather
