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$53M school budget goes to voters
District holding line on taxes
Thursday, May 8, 2008
AMSTERDAM — The Greater Amsterdam’s School District’s budget proposal is not expected to change before going to voters, following a public hearing Wednesday at which no one took the opportunity to comment on the proposed spending plan. The $53 million budget proposal, which would increase spending by 6.52 percent, calls for no overall tax increase. The district was able to hold the line on taxes in the proposal by using $1.78 million in surplus money and a $3.5 million increase in state aid. District residents will have an opportunity to vote on the proposed budget May 20. The ballot will also includes two propositions: one to purchase two, 30-passenger school buses and two 66-passenger school buses for no more than $350,000; and another to allow for the sale of school district property on Wallins Corners Road for $200,000. Residents will also elect three new members to the school board. Five newcomers are running: Sean Piasecki, Sheree Patterson, Michael Parillo, Patrick Krohn and Sandra Cordova. Most district residents would see a decrease in tax rates through the proposed budget. Only residents in Charlton and Perth would see a slight increase in tax rates. City residents would see a decrease in taxes by about a penny to $24.91 per $1,000 of assessed value; town of Amsterdam residents would see a decrease of $6.37 to $178.34 per $1,000 of assessed value; and Florida residents would see a decrease of $1.51 to $29.36 per $1,000 of assessed value. The district’s spending plan includes $1 million in state Contract for Excellence money, which the district is mandated to use to create new programs. Those new programs include extended after-school tutoring, a new magnet program at Barkley Elementary School and new staff members. The state is expected to approve the district’s plans for new programs on May 27. School board members said they couldn’t see why the budget should be defeated this year. “The budget addresses the concerns of the residents, provides new programs and doesn’t increase taxes,” board Vice President Gina DeRossi said. For the past three years, voters have rejected the district’s proposed spending plan. The district’s school board subsequently adopted contingency budgets. Should that happen this year, Roger Seward, the district’s business manager, said the budget would be cut by $930,571. Seward said the state mandates which programs are allowed to be cut. Mostly sports and extracurricular activities are the first to go, he said. DeRossi said she thinks voters rejected previous budgets because they contained some sort of tax increase. “This year we were granted more leeway with our state aid and we were able to allow for no tax increase, so I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t pass,” she said.
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July 24, 2008
7:18 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
If the assessments on our homes have increased and the tax rate "per assessed $1000" basically stays the same... isn't that an increase?
I've heard that in addition the taxes were only based on 80% of our assessments last year but will be based on 100% this year.
If this is true then... for a home now assessed at $75,000... in the Town of Amsterdam we will pay
$13,375.50 compared to $11,082.60 last year.
That is an extra $191.07 monthly! It is an insult to our ability to use a calculator. Maybe they just hope no one has the time to look for the tax bills and do the calcultions.
Instead of further burdening us all... why not buy 1 bus or fix the 2 you have. There's $350,000.000.
Plus $200,000.00 for the property sale. Plus the revenue we'd get from leasing Bacon School to Whispering Pines. This is shameful. People already pinch pennies for groceries.
12:13 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
I'm troubled by your comment "an insult to our ability to use a calculator."
I believe you're running for school board yet you're not able to see that your calculation based upon the published tax rate cannot be correct. I think you should question either the level of assessment or the published tax rate of $178.64 per thousand as $11+ thousand in school tax for a home assessed at $75K. It is not a plausible calculation of the tax amount so rather than accept it you should question it.
Sorry to be critical but if you want to effect change on the school board, it's important to question the info you're given.
6:44 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
It is very confusing to know what we're voting for. My mother and I were looking at our tax bills last night trying to figure them out. She's in the city and we think paid on 81% of her new assessment (up $20,000) and thinks there is a new law coming out that will make us pay on 100% of it b/c of the star program. Even my aunt that worked for Montgomery county election board made calls and can't find out what this means. My taxes are completely different from the town of Amsterdam with my assessments being raised yearly. We're very confused and having alot of trouble finding an answer clarifying the bottom lines for myself in the town and my family in the city. I hope someone reads this and can help clarify it before we have to vote. On one hand it's great to have the city and school district say no tax raise... but is this going to actually cost us more in the end?
Please don't be too hard on me... I am really pinching pennies everywhere... comparing all my services, clipping coupons and going w/o lunch at work to come home to pasta everynight so my children can eat well. I even had to stop driving my children to PT in Rotterdam through Sunnyview last month b/c of gas prices. This is very hard on all of us... that's why I am staring at bills and I would greatly appreciate any assistance you can offer. At first glance I thought it was an error and a decimal point was left out.
My uncle is selling his roofing business b/c of taxes and my 90 y/o grandmother, living alone had her taxes at $6200 last year (less with star), but is that even reliable these days?
You brought up my run for the school board... I am. To help bring a different point of view hopefully. While I have alot of family struggling with taxes I also have 5 children and respect the teacher's needs to support their families too through all this. It will not be easy and if I lose it's ok.
I'll still stay active advocating for getting an ASA chapter here for us. I'm working with others on this too.
Thank you for your comment... at the end of the night last night my mother said the same thing. I know we can't be the only one confused by this.