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Tax Levy Tuesdays

Below are headlines from the blog Education Speaks: Moving the conversation forward. Education Speaks is sponsored by Capital Region BOCES, in collaboration with Questar III BOCES, HFM BOCES, WSWHE BOCES, Herkimer BOCES and the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.

As always, parents, staff, students and taxpayers are urged to voice their opinions on these matters to our elected leaders. Click here for elected leaders' contact information.  

Feb. 7, 2012

What can I do to get involved?

The property tax cap law poses an enormous challenge for public schools, and school leaders need to hear from their communities to help guide them through the difficult decisions that will need to be made. It is more important than ever to become informed about the complex issues shaping school district budgets and educational programs. read more

Jan. 31, 2012

If the new law doesn’t actually cap tax levy increases at 2 percent, how will it provide property tax relief?

With or without a law “capping” tax levy increases, school leaders know that many New Yorkers are struggling in this economy and agree that property tax relief is needed. At the same time, they have heard first-hand from residents what many polls have indicated: Most New Yorkers do not want tax relief to come at the expense of their public schools. read more

Jan. 24, 2012

Will the tax cap legislation affect all school districts equally?

The tax cap legislation will affect all districts to varying degrees, but it is clear that some will be affected much more than others. In particular, for poor and/or rural school districts with low property wealth and declining tax bases, staying within their “tax levy limits” will severely restrict their ability to generate the revenues needed to sustain core educational programs. read more

Jan. 17, 2012

What happens if the budget is not approved by voters?

If a district’s budget is not approved by voters, the district has two options: adopt a contingency budget or go for another vote with the same or a revised budget. If the budget is not approved a second time, the district MUST adopt a contingency budget. Aside from certain spending restrictions, this means that a district would not be able to increase the tax levy over the current year – essentially a 0 percent tax cap. read more

Jan. 10, 2012

How will I know if my district is proposing a tax levy above its “tax levy limit,” requiring 60 percent voter approval?

By law, any school district that proposes a budget that requires a tax levy (before exemptions) above its “tax levy limit” must include a statement on the ballot indicating this to voters. read more

Jan. 3, 2012

Under NY’s property tax cap law, does the public still vote on school district budgets?

Yes, school district residents will still vote on a proposed budget on the third Tuesday in May. This year, the date is May 15. Under the new law, the level of voter approval needed to pass a budget will now depend upon the amount of the tax levy required by the proposed budget. read more

Dec. 20, 2011

What will the property tax cap law mean for MY tax bill?

Well, that remains to be seen. First, the new law applies to the tax levy, not to tax rates or individual tax bills. Second, it does not impose a universal 2 percent cap on taxes—or any other specific amount. read more

Dec. 13, 2011

Does the tax cap law take into account that some expenses are currently outside a district’s control?

Actually, yes it does. Taxes that school districts levy to pay for certain expenses are “exempt” from the “tax levy limit” calculation. In other words, after a school district calculates its “tax levy limit,” it then adds these exemptions to that amount, allowing the district to propose a tax levy greater than the amount set by the “limit” without triggering the need for approval by 60 percent of voters. read more

Dec. 6, 2011

How is the “tax levy limit” determined for school districts?

By law, each school district’s tax levy is determined by a complex, eight-step formula that was developed by the state. The formula takes into consideration a number of variables, including growth in the local tax base (if any), exemptions, the previous year’s tax levy, as well as the current and coming years’ PILOTs (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes). read more

Nov. 29, 2011

Under NY’s property tax cap law, how many tax levy numbers will a school district configure?

The correct answer is three. During the school budget development process, taxpayers will hear three different levy figures talked about: the tax levy limit, the maximum allowable levy, and the actual proposed tax levy. read more

Nov. 22, 2011

What is a "Tax Levy Limit"?

Essentially, the “tax levy limit” sets a threshold requiring school districts to obtain a higher level of community support for a proposed tax levy above a certain amount. read more

Nov. 15, 2011

Does the new tax cap law mean school tax levies can’t increase by more than 2 percent?

No. The law has been misconstrued and misrepresented in media sound bites as a “2 percent tax cap.” The law does not prohibit tax levy increases greater than 2 percent. The legislation signed into law in June requires every district to calculate its own “tax levy limit.” Two percent (or the rate of inflation, if less) is just one of eight factors in this calculation. read more

Nov. 8, 2011

Response to Governor Cuomo's video

Yesterday, Governor Cuomo released a video stating that NYS’s tax cap is doing its job, rolling back the average rate of increase for local levies and bringing “much-needed scrutiny to government spending.” Watch the video here. The one thing that struck us most about the video was that it doesn’t mention mandate relief at all. read more