School District Reacts To Letter Over Tax Levy

One big misconception. That’s what Carthage Central School District Superintendent Carl Militello is calling a letter from local lawmakers.

On Wednesday, 7 News reported that six elected officials sent a strongly worded letter to Militello over the district’s proposed budget.

The letter was signed by the mayors of West Carthage and Black River, the president of Carthage, the supervisors of the towns of Wilna and Rutland, and a councilman for the town of Wilna.

They said the district’s budget, which raises the tax levy by almost ten percent, is unacceptable and they’ll stand up against it.

“After 7.5 last year and 3.5 the year before and another 7 the year before that, our taxpayers are concerned. It’s got to stop somewhere,” said West Carthage Mayor Scott Burto.

The proposed tax levy increase is due to a $21.1 million capital construction project - at least that’s what Burto and other local lawmakers are saying.

But, Militello says there are lots of reason for the spending increase.

The addition factored in at more than $1.8 million isn’t a significant one.

“The point that I think was misunderstood, and again would be easy to do, was the aid is $1.76, which is $44,000, which is one half of one percent,” said Militello.

Burto says if the school board proves the project amounts to only a half of a percent of the increase, it’s time for the school board to weed out some of the other expenses.

School board officials and lawmakers have agreed to meet to discuss the budget on May 1.

A public hearing is set for May 13.

See Alexandra Field’s report:

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Comments

One Response to “School District Reacts To Letter Over Tax Levy”

Darby Tarr on April 24th, 2008 8:16 pm

In Wednesday’s Watertown Times the following information was given about the Village of Carthage’s taxes:
” Village residents will see no change in their tax rate under the proposed 2008-09 fiscal year budget. The rate will stay at $12.30 per $1,000 of assessed property while the tax levy would decrease by 0.5 percent, from $917,730 to $913,160.”
That sounds very encouraging, until you know that all properties in the village were recently reassessed, and most were at least doubled in evaluation. What does the Village of Carthage President say to that? Is he complaining about the school taxes when the Village will be reaping a windfall in taxes? Or aren’t the new assessments being used this year?

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