White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Albany Money Story: Restores $1.9MM in School Aid for WP. Tax Rate Cut to 6.9%

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. May 1, 2003:At the special meeting of the Board of Education Wednesday evening, Richard Lasselle, Assistant Superintendent for Business, announced that the state legislature has restored $1,845,692 in school aid for the White Plains City School District.

Lasselle told WPCNR today this effectively cut the proposed tax rate for the 2003-04 City School Budget to 6.9% from the 7.8% projected last week.

The proposed City School Budget remains at $134,632,632, a year to year increase of 6.1% from last year's $126.9mm budget.

Mr. Lasselle told WPCNR that the district has allocated $1,354,291 of that aid into the general fund, and $292,894 to pay for Pre-Kindergarten programs. He said that the district still does not know what percentage they will be expected to pay into the state employees retirement fund to make up for that deficit, which was previously estimated by the State Comptroller's office to be 11.4% of City School District salaries.

Retirement Fund Payment yet to be Determined.

Money allocated for the district in advance to save the Pre-K programs, Lasselle said, ($350,000) is also being diverted to the general fund to cover the Retirement fund obligation, whatever the Comptroller's office and the state legislature and Governor George Pataki decide it should be.

The Comptroller's Office had previously suggested splitting the difference and charging statewide school districts a flat 4-1/2% to lessen the budget impact on many districts facing far larger increases than White Plains. The impact on White Plains at the 4-1/2% would be approximately $5 Million. ($80,644,847 is devoted to salaries in the White Plains proposed 2003-04 budget).

Bottom Line to Taxpayers: Tax per $1M, Lowers to $349.03

Mr. Lasselle calculated the new 6.9% tax rate to be $340.03 per $1,000 of accessed value. That means on a $15,000 accessed home, the White Plains homeowner would pay $5,235.45 in school taxes next year. Should Governor Pataki veto the legislature's budget, throwing out the return of school aid, the tax rate would go back to 7.8%, or $352.05 per $1,000 of accessed valuation, computing to an extra $45 ($5,280.75 to $5,235.45).

Lasselle said the numbers of course are firm yet, and the district is sitting tight waiting for the full details. He said the district is working on its School Budget Report Card which is expected to be mailed out May 12.

The day of the new School Budget Vote and the Elections to the Board of Education is June 3.

Still Time to Run for Board of Education

In a related matter, Michelle Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education, reported to WPCNR Thursday that the deadline for submitting petitions to run for the Board of Edcucation has been commensurately extended to May 12. She reports four petitions have been received so far.


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