North Fork library budgets increase but remain under tax cap

North Fork voters will decide several 2026–27 library budgets in the coming weeks, with proposals across three districts staying within the state tax cap. 

Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library

Cutchogue New Suffolk Library’s proposed 2026-27 tax levy is $2,047,435, a 3.16% increase. It is a $62,621 jump from last year’s tax levy. 

Residents of the Mattiuck-Cutchogue School District would see their levy increase to $1,796,215. New Suffolk School District residents would see their tax levy rise to $251,220.

A home with an actual value of $1,090,909 and assessed value of $6,000 would see their library taxes rise to roughly $590.28 with the proposed budget.

The overall proposed budget is $2,107,603 — a $58,446 increase from the 2025-26 budget. Personnel costs total $1,550,245.

A public information meeting will be held Tuesday, March 31, at 5:30 p.m. in the library. Residents can vote April 14 at the library between 2 and 8 p.m.

Southold Free Library

Southold Free Library’s proposed 2026-27 tax levy is $1,285,603 — a $48,731 increase from the current budget. The library’s total operating budget for 2026-27 is $1,316,275.

“The library offers a large number of varied services to the community and this will allow services to continue to thrive while addressing cost increases in categories that include health insurance and other insurance coverages, fuel, etc.,” library director Caroline MacArthur told The Suffolk Times. 

Shared services with neighboring libraries, the Suffolk Cooperative Library System and other organizations have helped the library keep costs manageable without reducing services. 

Personnel costs rose $52,721, while operations, maintenance, library material and office expense costs remained largely flat compared with the current budget. 

“It was a very hard year to stay within the tax cap, but with allowable as per NYS, I feel that the Library can continue to offer superior services even with rising costs,” Ms. MacArthur noted. 

Residents can cast their votes May 19 at Southold High School, between 3 and 9 p.m. The budget will appear as a separate proposition alongside the district’s budget.

Floyd Memorial Library

Floyd Memorial Library, serving East Marion, Orient and Greenport communities, proposed a $1,268,590 budget for 2026-27, a 3.52% increase, or $44,675 more than the current budget. 

The proposed tax levy is $639,492 for Greenport School District residents and $567,098 for residents of the Oysterponds School District. 

Personnel costs and general operating expenses for the library saw the largest increase, rising about $46,000 and $17,000, respectively. 

Allocations for library materials and programs decreased $12,325 and $6,000, respectively, in the proposed budget. 

“With prices rising all around us, we’re pleased to present a budget to our community again this year that does not pierce the tax cap,” library director Ellen Nasto said.

Ms. Nasto will present the budget to the public at upcoming school board meetings for the Greenport and Oysterponds school districts.

Residents can vote May 19 at Greenport School or Oysterponds School between 2 and 8 p.m. For more information, call 631-477-0660 or email [email protected].