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General News: Board of Education Adopts Budget
April 17, 2013
By Joseph Oliveto
The Board of Education faced some tough challenges when it met on Monday night, April 15, to work on adopting a budget.
The first decision the Board needed to make was whether or not to adopt a budget that exceeds the tax levy cap. After several weeks of work, a budget was designed that would involve no additional cuts, but would involve a tax levy of 4.47%.
The cap is at 3.72%, and a budget that exceeds the cap needs to receive at least 60% of the vote in order to pass.
After much debate, during which time the Board considered the difficulties faced by citizens on fixed incomes while also recognizing that what draws many people to Cornwall in the first place is the school district, the Board decided that they would try to pass a budget that exceeded the tax cap.
This decision was made after numerous people in the audience commented, letting the Board know that they were willing to pay a little extra for their children’s educations, and pointing out that many people in the public don’t realize the exact financial effect that this increase in taxes will have on their lives.
The Board displayed a chart to clarify that particular concern; for a house worth $250,000, for example, the proposed budget would involve an additional $46 paid in taxes per year.
Despite adopting a budget that would exceed the cap, the Board still needed to determine what programs would be cut if the budget does not pass, so that taxpayers may know what is at stake.
No one on the Board was enthusiastic about this process, and comments from the audience only served to indicate that all of the programs offered by the district are valuable in some way, and as such, there are no desirable cuts to make.
After some time, the Board came up with a list of programs and positions that the district is in danger of losing if the budget does not pass.
These include modified freshmen sports, one full-time custodial position, the fourth-grade music program, extracurricular activities in the middle school and high school, music competitions, one full-time administrative position in the district, and four full-time equivalent Teaching Assistant positions.
The Board expressed the hope that the budget will pass and none of these votes will need to be made.
The annual budget vote is on May 21.
Comments:
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School tax increases have now become an annual event and/or expectation. Each year we go thru these meetings and the same areas are said to be cut if taxes are not increased. What is being done each year to avoid increases? If our taxes were increased last year and it saved 4 teacher aid positions than why go thru this each year? Has anyone considered a look to determine if better systems could be developed to avoid increases? Each year taxpayers pay their taxes with the expected return of better education & development opportunities for our children. Taxpayers are sacrificing a lot to stay in this School district, but I do not see where the District is the same (except threats of cutting programs - basically same each year). Times are hard right now for all and at some point good people are going to be forced to leave this District because there is not a balanced School budget that meets current cap levels. I hope people go out and vote because based on previous years voting turnout only a fraction of taxpayers show up. The real issue here is why can't our School budget get balanced after years of increases. I voted to increase taxes for the past two years because I do not want to see positions cut, but more so I did not want to have folks layed off. There is no reason there is a lack of money for these positions now. Maybe WE simply cannot afford them.
posted by Tony Smith on 04/18/13 at 2:56 PM
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The public needs to become more informed about these increases and the May 21 vote. Many residents pay their school and property taxes in an escrow account and are unaware and simply do not understand how these increases will impact them, especially when they are compounded each year with additional increases. There are many homes in Cornwall where school taxes are in excess of $5,000 on modestly priced residences, so a increase of 4.47% is hundreds of dollars per year.
The Board should be required to mail all residents a notice and clearly indicate that they are exceeding the mandate by New York State on tax increases and what the implications are for doing so.
Getting residents educated and to show up on May 21 to vote is very important.
posted by Bob Strickland on 04/19/13 at 8:54 PM
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What sacrafices has the administration made?
posted by D P on 04/24/13 at 11:59 AM
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