Beacon School Budget Vote: Q: “What If We Didn’t Vote For The Increase?” A: “It Would Have A Devastating Effect.”
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While it is voting day of the annual budget of the Beacon City School District, it is also Tax Assessment season, where property owners have been mailed the annual tax re-assessment letter of their properties (listen to Beacon’s Tax Assessor explain how it is calculated here). Property values have steadily increased over the years with sales, property flips, and new construction. Beacon’s Superintendent Landahl has made 8 presentations this year to educate about the budget, what’s in it, and how it works. You can access those here.
“If we were to leave the tax levy the same as last year, we would have to cut $2.4 million from the budget. The budget increases each year are a result of contractual salary increases, rising costs in health insurance, utilities, pensions and other purchases.”
The way the tax is calculated is complicated. To clarify, ALBB asked Ann Marie Quartironi, CPA, the Deputy Superintendent of the Beacon City School District the following question: “With our property assessments continuously going up, what would happen if there was no tax increase, and the district used the money it is already collecting through property taxes that go up with assessments?”
Ms. Quartironi answered promptly: “We calculate our tax levy each year based on the tax cap calculator developed by New York State. This levy amount gets spread over all the taxpayers in our District. We don’t get additional tax revenue from the new homes and businesses that are put on the tax rolls each year. We spread that same levy amount over more homes and businesses to lessen the tax burden to the existing taxpayers.”
“If we had to reduce the budget by $2.4 million, it would have a devastating effect. ”
She continued: “If we were to leave the tax levy the same as last year, we would have to cut $2.4 million from the budget. The budget increases each year are a result of contractual salary increases, rising costs in health insurance, utilities, pensions and other purchases. If we had to reduce the budget by $2.4 million it would have a devastating effect. We would have to cut staff, raise class sizes and eliminate classes and programs for students.”
Where To Vote
Voters who reside within the city limits of the City of Beacon vote at Beacon High School.
Voters who reside outside the city limits of the City of Beacon, and within the boundaries of the Town of Fishkill, or the Town of Wappinger, (that are part of the Beacon City School District), vote at Glenham Elementary School. These boundaries may not match the voter's mailing address. For questions regarding voting location, please call the District Clerk at 845-838-6900 ext. 2010.
