PLEASE RELEASE: August 12, 2003

Board of Education adopts tax rate for 2003-04; keeps its promise to the community

The Scotia-Glenville Board of Education on Monday, August 11, adopted a 2003-04 tax rate of $26.14 per $1,000 assessed valuation. The 8.88% increase matched projections made by the district at the time of the budget vote June 3.

The budget was approved with a vote of 2,127-1,680.

For the typical home with an assessment of $100,000, school taxes will increase by $213 per year or $17.75 per month before savings from the state's STAR program. Typical savings amount to more than $700 per year for the basic STAR recipient and more than $1,150 for the enhanced STAR recipient.

The new rate will be reflected in tax bills that are mailed in September.

The $26.14 rate is for the Scotia and Glenville areas of the district, where about 99% of the homeowners reside. Other rates in the district are: $181.54 per $1,000 assessed value for the town of Amsterdam and $23.95 assessed value for the town of Charlton.

"Once again, we are grateful to the members of the community who supported the budget during a very difficult process," said Superintendent Michael J. Marcelle. "We did our best to deliver on the promises made to the community at that time."

After slicing $1 million from proposed expenditures and facing a state aid cut of more than $400,000 (even after restorations by the state Legislature), the board settled on a $35.42 million budget. Increases in special education, health insurance and utility costs, as well as the cut in state aid, fueled the tax increase.

Here is a link with more information about the 2003-04 budget.

MEDIA: For more information, contact Superintendent Michael J. Marcelle at 382-1215 or Robert Hanlon, Communications Office, at 386-4343.