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RFH 2010, Cover Stories, HCS News

2% Tax Cap Is More Like 3 or So

Wed, Nov 16, 2011

At the HCS Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, there was talk of taxes and of a merger process stuck in neutral

When does 2 percent not really equal 2 percent?

When it is the property tax cap approved earlier this year by the state legislature and imposed on municipalities and school districts, HCS.

At Tuesday night's HCS Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Diana Bowers explained that the 2 percent cap is not an absolute. Instead, provisions in the law include calculations that take into account growth in the area, which would mean the amount the district and other taxing entities can raise their levy is more than 2 percent.

Based on growth that has occurred in the towns that are part of the HCS district -- especially the Town of Madison -- HCS' allowable tax levy could end up being between 3 and 3.5 percent. This about the rate HCS has increased its levy in recent budgets.

The district continues to work on its budget, which will be voted upon in May.

On another budget-related note, Bowers told the board that the state is anticipating a $350 million shortfall in its current budget. She hopes this will not mean a reduction in state aid, which HCS anticipates will remain at this year's level.

Also on Tuesday, Bowers told the board that the process to study a possible merger with Morrisville-Eaton Central Schools remains in neutral. Money for the study has not been released by the state, and Bowers said indications are that it might not be until 2013.

However, HCS is going to proceed with some studies to consider ways to save money, such as combing services.

Read about the results of a merger study between the Ilion, Frankfort-Schuyler, Mohawk and Herkimer school districts.

In other action Tuesday night, the board:

  • heard from Assistant Principal William Dowsland that 30 of the 37 HCS students who attend classes at the Madison-Oneida VOCES made its honor roll in the first marking period. Dowsland said eight had high honors, 13 had honors and nine had honorable mention.
  • discussed the need for changes to the selection process for pre-kindergartners. Again this year there were more children than there were spots in the program (families of 41 children applied for 32 spots) so the district had to use a lottery system to fill the class, and there appeared to be some confusion about how that process worked.
  •  approved increasing the amount paid to retired teachers from other districts who substitute at HCS; the current rate is $75 per day after 20 days and it will be raised to $90.
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