2020 Reassessment process: Fairness

[gorja]

Still waiting to hear whether the following resolution recommendation by LCSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Vallely at Monday evening’s school agenda was approved by the board:

Date: August 5, 2019
From: Michael J. Vallely, Ph.D.

Re: 2019-2020 Tax Rate Based on a total tax levy of $56,924,872, it is my recommendation to set the tax rate for this fiscal year as follows:

Town of Lancaster Tax Rate is $14.15 - change of ($3.77) Town of Cheektowaga Tax Rate is $17.11 - change of $0.83 Town of Elma Tax Rate is $392.32 – change of $49.60.

Recommended Action: Motion to approve the 2020-21 tax rate, based on a total tax levy of $56,924,872, for Lancaster at $14.15, Cheektowaga at $17.11 and Elma at $392.32, as submitted.

If this tax rate ($14.15) was approved last night and utilized by LCSD when tax bills are issued in the near future, it is an increase of 80 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation from the tax rate ($13.35) established in the school budget approved several weeks earlier. If so, school taxes will increase significantly for many property owners who already were expecting significant increases.

It then begs the question whether the school district can amend the budget to apply the final (increased) tax rate that brings in more revenue and reduce an increase in tax liability for the established 2019-20 school district budget?

Thank you, Lee. One question, I thought the tax rate approved in JUne was $14.89 per thousand.
The school's website had this-

The budget reflects an increase of 4.54 percent and calls for an estimated tax rate decrease of $3.03 per $1,000 for Lancaster. The 2019-20 tax rate was $17.92/$1,000 of assessed value, and the estimated 2020-21 tax rate is $14.89/$1,000 of assessed value. This estimated tax rate is the lowest rate in ten years.

And similar verbiage was in the June 3rd edition of the Lancaster Bee.

So if that $14.15 rate was approved, it would be a .74 decrease

It doesn't seem possible that the rate could go down with the way the final assessment turned out.

[gorja]

If that tax rate holds true, my school tax bill will increase by 25%

[Lee Chowaniec]

Thank you, Lee. One question, I thought the tax rate approved in JUne was $14.89 per thousand.
The school's website had this-

And similar verbiage was in the June 3rd edition of the Lancaster Bee.

So if that $14.15 rate was approved, it would be a .74 decrease

It doesn't seem possible that the rate could go down with the way the final assessment turned out.

Great catch, Gorga - my bad.

Assumed incorrectly that the school district was using the Assessor's tentative school tax rate of $13.35.

That reduces my school tax obligation from an expected $383 to $233. Great news!

Thank you!

[gorja]

If that tax rate holds true, my school tax bill will increase by 25%

This increase was compared to last year's school tax bill.
This anticipated bill is only $60. more than the figure estimated by the assessor's office in the spring.