Croton-Harmon Discusses Tax Levy Cap

From Croton-Harmon Schools: The Croton-Harmon School District’s Board of Education voted on April 6 to adopt a 2017-18 spending plan that falls within the state-directed tax levy cap for the community.

The $46,499,826 proposition was developed as a collaborative effort with the district and school administrators, as well as the Croton-Harmon community, over the course of the last year. With this plan, the Board is confident that the high quality education Croton-Harmon families have come to expect will be maintained and expanded, and students will continue to be given the tools they need to become lifelong, independent, responsible citizens who are able to contribute to the well-being of society.

On Tuesday, May 16, the community will be invited to weigh in on this proposal that represents an overall budget-to-budget increase of 1.29 percent compared to the 2016-17 community-approved spending plan. In addition, this proposal contains a tax levy increase of 0.86 percent compared to 2016-17, below the maximum tax levy cap calculation of 1.89 percent. If approved, the district projects that Town of Yorktown residents will see a tax rate decrease of -2.43 percent and Town of Cortlandt residents will see an increase of 0.94 percent.

Despite contending with a number of unfunded mandates and monies owed to the district from the state, this budget supports instructional needs including the addition of a full-time world language teacher at Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School, the addition of an English as a New Language teacher to share between the district’s three schools, one K-6 teacher contingency, as well as an athletic trainer and academic support for reading and math at CET. This proposition additionally includes funding for a school lunch program that would begin at Croton-Harmon High School, and later be extended to CET and Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School.

In addition to the proposed budget, residents may vote on two additional propositions on May 16 – the election of three Board of Education trustees and the proposed transportation and operations and maintenance vehicle purchases. This proposal includes the purchase of new vehicles and will not exceed $290,000.

The budget public hearing will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Croton-Harmon High School community room. The annual school district budget vote and school board election will be held on Tuesday, May 16 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Croton-Harmon High School gymnasium. For more information about the budget proposal, please visit here.

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