Lancaster proposed school budget, yea or nay

[gshowell]

Questions:

The spending increase is 1.34%, but the tax increase is 5.78%. Does the difference reflect the loss in state aid?

The 5.78% tax increase. Is that the total increase in the amount to be raised by taxes?

There's three or four (I forget) taxed areas in the school district: Lancaster, Depew, Clarence, etc. Each one will see a different tax rate? Is that correct?

Is it also correct that if your assessment went up, your total tax increase will be higher than the tax increase for the area you live in? (Lancaster, Depew, etc.)

Is it also correct that if your assessment went down by less that 1% your total taxes will increase if the increase in your area (Lancaster, Depew, etc.) is higher than 1%?

If the budget fails, will there be an increase or decrease in the total amount raised by taxes?

[gorja]

Originally posted by gshowell:
Questions:

The spending increase is 1.34%, but the tax increase is 5.78%. The spending increase is 1.34%. The amount to be raised by taxes increased by 5.78%. The tax rate is $14.51; last year it was $15.93 but assessments went from a 93% equalization rate to 100% Eq. rate.

Does the difference reflect the loss in state aid?
DON'T KNOW.

The 5.78% tax increase. Is that the total increase in the amount to be raised by taxes? YES

There's three or four (I forget) taxed areas in the school district: Lancaster, Depew, Clarence, etc. Each one will see a different tax rate? Is that correct? Yes, it's Lancaster, Cheektowaga and Elma. They will have different tax rates as each town assesses at a different Eq rate - Lancaster- 100% with a school tax rate of $14.51 a decrease of 8.9%, Cheektowaga- 62% with a school tax rate of $23.41 a decrease of less than 1% and Elma - 5% with a school tax rate of $300.86 a decrease of less than 1%.

Is it also correct that if your assessment went up, your total tax increase will be higher than the tax increase for the area you live in? (Lancaster, Depew, etc.) If I understand your question, in Lancaster if your assessment went up 9.1% or less, you won't see an increase in taxes.

Is it also correct that if your assessment went down by less that 1% your total taxes will increase if the increase in your area (Lancaster, Depew, etc.) is higher than 1%? Not sure I understand the question but residents in Lancaster whose assessment went down no matter how much will have a lower school tax bill than last year.

If the budget fails, will there be an increase or decrease in the total amount raised by taxes? According to Lee's article, the tax rate in Lancaster would go down to $14.18 per thousand assessed valuation thus the amount raised by taxes must decrease.

I'm voting no in support of the elderly residents whose income doesn't increase and others who have lost jobs or have taken pay cuts.

[Lee Chowaniec]

gshowell;634339]Questions:

The spending increase is 1.34%, but the tax increase is 5.78%. Does the difference reflect the loss in state aid?

The tax levy (amount to be raised by taxes) is up by 5.78%. It does reflect the $4 million lost in state aid.

The 5.78% tax increase. Is that the total increase in the amount to be raised by taxes?

Again, the 5.78 number is the tax levy increase, not the personal tax obligation increase. Your tax increase or decrease percent will impacted by your new assessment and can be determined by going into the school district web site (lancasterschools.org) and punch the assessment numbers into their calculator. Or you can do your own math: new assessment - STAR & other exemptions x $14.71 per thousand dollars of assesed value and compare this year's tax obligation with last year's to determine percent of increase nor decrease.

There's three or four (I forget) taxed areas in the school district: Lancaster, Depew, Clarence, etc. Each one will see a different tax rate? Is that correct?

That is correct.

Is it also correct that if your assessment went up, your total tax increase will be higher than the tax increase for the area you live in? (Lancaster, Depew, etc.)

As of now, and speaking only of the Town of Lancaster and Villages of Lancaster and Depew which saw a reval, the cut off seems to be around 10% - that is, people who are around that assessment 10% increase would see no school tax increase if the school district came up with a no spending increase (contingency) budget. Those above and below the cut off would see increases and decrease; some significant.

Is it also correct that if your assessment went down by less that 1% your total taxes will increase if the increase in your area (Lancaster, Depew, etc.) is higher than 1%?

How would that be pssible when the tax rate has been lowered from $15.92 to $14.71?

If the budget fails, will there be an increase or decrease in the total amount raised by taxes?

If the proposed budget failed and the school district had to cut another $1.2 million from the budget, the amount raised by taxes would have to go down.

[4248]

I guess what their doing is "Equalizing the tax burden" - or "making the process more transparent" - they also designed three choices for the "Task Force," so they could back up the BOE decision.

So with all that helpful info and some research, I base my vote on this:

"that is, people who are around that assessment 10% increase would see no school tax increase if the school district came up with a no spending increase (contingency) budget. Those above and below the cut off would see increases and decrease; some significant"

And:

"Is it also correct that if your assessment went up, your total tax increase will be higher than the tax increase for the area you live in?"

Then:

"per thousand dollars of assessed value and compare this year's tax obligation with last year's to determine percent of increase nor decrease"

Therefore, I support not raising taxes and completely believe we have been totally informed or mislead.

So as to how we should vote.



I vote we think about it.

[mesue]

I vote no

[OutsidetheBox]

It's a shame to see people will be voting no over a difference of $66 (assuming your house is worth 200k) when the contigency budget greatly impacts the students.

[Lee Chowaniec]

It's a shame to see people will be voting no over a difference of $66 (assuming your house is worth 200k) when the contigency budget greatly impacts the students.

The $66 quote is not a one size fits all. Because of reval some will pay much more, some less.

[OutsidetheBox]

The $66 quote is not a one size fits all. Because of reval some will pay much more, some less.

Sorry I should have clarified that a little better. Certainly some will pay more, some will pay less based on their re-assessment. But for a 200k house, the difference between if the current budget passed with the proposed tax rate (14.51) and if the contigency budget went into effect with the lower tax rate (14.18) would equate to a $66 difference.

[mikenold]

There is only one reason to vote yes on a school budget. That is when the amount I pay in tax will go down. Period!

[gshowell]

Before I start to bloviate, I have one more question.

The teachers are still in negotiations with the board. It's my understanding that, at this point, the teacher's demands are not public.

If the negotiations stall and go to arbitration, is there room in the budget to cover raises if the budget passes, or fails, if the negotiations go to arbitration and the school district loses?

[Lee Chowaniec]

Before I start to bloviate, I have one more question.

The teachers are still in negotiations with the board. It's my understanding that, at this point, the teacher's demands are not public.

If the negotiations stall and go to arbitration, is there room in the budget to cover raises if the budget passes, or fails, if the negotiations go to arbitration and the school district loses?

That is an excellent question, one that I have not been able to get an answer to. Perhaps you should attend the next BOE meeting and pose that question, telling them that others in the public are wondering the same thing.

[Lancaster wetlands]

PaySchool superintendent salaries.doc



I see that it's OK to keep increasing there pay.....are they in the union:

[mikenold]

District Lancaster
Salary $162,000
Increase $53,000
Percent Increase 48%


A 48% increase in 10 years? WOW!

[Tangodown]

Does anyone know how much the closing of Central ave school reduces the teachers workforce? For example if 20 teachers are pink slipped, and if there are 400 teachers that would be 5%. - I'm just using those numbers for a reference...if anyone has exact numbers please chime in. They should reduce whatever that % turns out to be across the boards...Admins, bus drivers, aides, counselors, etc...That would be fair and consistent....that would make sense if enrollment is shrinking.....what is good for one is good for all.

[mikenold]

Does anyone know how much the closing of Central ave school reduces the teachers workforce? For example if 20 teachers are pink slipped, and if there are 400 teachers that would be 5%. - I'm just using those numbers for a reference...if anyone has exact numbers please chime in. They should reduce whatever that % turns out to be across the boards...Admins, bus drivers, aides, counselors, etc...That would be fair and consistent....that would make sense if enrollment is shrinking.....what is good for one is good for all.

As far as I know they did not say that any teachers from the school would be laid off. Only that the school would be closed. I would imagine that the teachers would still be neeed3ed to teach the children that are moved from that school to other schools in the area.