by Thaddeus Flint
The school tax rates for each of the five towns that make up the Berlin Central School District were announced and accepted at the August meeting of the School Board Tuesday night.
The total 2014-2015 budget levy for the BCS District is $18,188,563. Local taxes will account for 48.44% of the budget, or $8,810,940.
[private]While Stephentown will be paying the largest percentage of the tax levy at 30.159%, it is once again the residents of the Town of Grafton who will be paying most in school taxes. The rate per $1,000 in Grafton will be $189.13, an increase 6.21% over last year’s rate of $178.08, which was already more than three times that of the next closest town, Berlin, which was $57.38 in 2013-2104 and will be $57.92 in 2014-2015.
Before Graftonites rise up in insurrection against the BCS School Board, residents there should note that the equalization rates in Grafton are off-the-charts low – possibly the lowest in Rensselaer County – at .08150.
“We don’t set the equalization rates,” School Board President Frank Zwack pointed out.
“Anyone who has a question about this,” added Board Member Jim Willis, “should call their Town.”
The Town of Grafton is well versed in equalization rate questions. Even the State has questioned the Town’s assessment valuations. Back in July 2013 the State Department of Taxation and Finance sent a letter advising that the Town consider fixing the problem. Grafton Supervisor Frank Higgins noted recently that of the 19 local municipalities whose equalization rates were listed on the second page of the letter at that time, Grafton’s was the lowest. He is advocating for a revaluation since the last one was done in 1980. Things might have changed since those Cold War years, even in Grafton. The Assessor in 2013, Craig Surprise, said that even if he were to start right then, the new valuations wouldn’t take place until 2016.
The complete per town tax rates are as follows:
Berlin – $57.92 per $1,000, a .94% increase from 2013-2014
Grafton – $189.13 per $1,000, a 6.21% increase from 2013-2014
Petersburgh – $25.93 per $1,000, a .21% decrease from 2013-2014
Poestenkill – $57.93 per $1,000, a 5.25% increase from 2013-2014
Stephentown – $49.69 per $1,000, a 1.84% decrease from 2013-2014
The assessment rates were voted on and approved with all Board members present in favor. Board Member Jeffrey Paine was absent this night.
Property Tax Freeze Credit
While residents ponder how they will pay next year’s taxes, some are wondering where are the refund checks they were promised this year under The Property Tax Freeze Credit program.
Once again, don’t blame the District or the School Board. “We do not mail out that check,” said the District’s Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen Young.
For those qualified for the refunds – meaning your property was your primary residence and the household income was less than $500,000 – your check should be coming sometime in late September – perhaps so taxpayers will still remember it when they go to the polls in November – straight from the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.
The District itself will also be on the receiving end of some surprise money. Around $608,000 will be credited back to BCS from Questar III BOCES after the Office of the State Comptroller disallowed the practice of accumulating funds for “other post-retirement benefits” (OPRB). The entire $608,000 will not be credited to the District though as BCS received State Aid to pay some of those BOCES fees and the State, of course, wants that money back. The total is closer to $346,000, which the Board voted, with all in favor, of having credited against District BOCES costs over five years.
A New Principal
The District is also getting a new Elementary School Principal to replace Tricia Carlton who left at the end of the school year to take a job as Principal in the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk School District. Young welcomed the new Principal, Tracy Kent. “She will continue where we left off with Trish,” he said, noting that Kent is well qualified with over two decades of experience, as a teacher and literacy coach at New Lebanon and as an administrative coordinator at BOCES.
While Kent is ready to start work at the Elementary School, it remains to be seen if the Elementary school will be ready for Kent. Work continues at a feverish pace to finish the construction projects underway in time for the first day of school on September 4. The heating and ventilation systems are now state of the art, and there is a new science room, a new music room and new classrooms. The library is also being put back together, and the District is looking for a new Librarian there to replace the last one that recently moved. Young encouraged any local residents who are certified to work as an elementary school librarian to apply for the position.
“It’s going to be tight,” said Zwack of the construction. But, “We will guarantee that whatever we finish will be a healthy, safe and educational environment.”
The next regular School Board meeting will be Tuesday, September 16, at the Middle School/High School.[/private]