We heard quite a number of people talking after church yesterday about big increases in Schalmont school taxes.  Sad.   Gee, and one property in that district is going from just shy of $3,300 school tax bill to just over $7,500!  

And now to figure out if we're going to go to church at 8 in the morning regularly or do Saturday, or go further away.  

what is the percentage increase?

Quoted from rtrac1

what is the percentage increase?

Works out to just under 230% for the house in question

I mean what is the new tax rate? last year I believe it was 1.93%.

The house in question must have been reassessed by the town?

I don't know what Schalmont's new rate, we don't live there and they haven't put on their website or in their board minutes.

And remember, a tax levy can increase X%, but the tax RATE can increase more because, what affects Schalmont is this thing with McTHIEF from the city of Schenectady working with Metroplex to give GE a 100% tax exemption

But yes, a reassessment obviously.  But on a personal residence, a $4,000 increase is quite a tax increase, but rich people with one foot in the grave need houses of 3,000 sq ft living space.  

it would be interesting to see how many residents attend school board meetings.....especially when the budget is being discussed.

these tax increases for the schools are all voted on.....yes?

Quoted from bumblethru

it would be interesting to see how many residents attend school board meetings.....especially when the budget is being discussed.

these tax increases for the schools are all voted on.....yes?

They have minutes online.

"These tax increases" aren't really voted on.  The budget is voted on which the school district will say "is an X% increase" but again, it's an increase in the levy, not the tax bills.  Oh sure. they can claim that "an average house assessed at X will have an (tax BILL) increase of about Y" but that's usually much less than the increase winds up being.   I didn't pay attention to Schalmont's budget, i.e., what were they saying about the "typical increase" in a tax BILL.  

But remember, in Schenectady city, they keep taking property "off" the tax rolls, i.e, tax exemptions for the rich for-profit cronies of mayor and plex, thus the tax levy is divided by a much smaller taxable value which created an increase in the tax rate much higher than the increase in the tax levy, and then of course with school budgets, the budget vote is held in May BEFORE the board of assessment hears grievances and before the small claims cases are settled, so  by the time the school district sets the tax rate in July, the assessment roll has fallen (in the city anyway, as is normal), and that pushes the rate up at a higher percent than is claimed in the budget.  

And that's the problem with the so called "tax cap."  Sure, there's a cap on the increase in the levy but there is no cap on the increase in the tax bills.  

There's no limit to how much tax exemptions are handed out to metroplex cronies.

Remember how the people who live in the town but are part of the city school district had hundreds of dollar increases in their school tax bills, what, last year or the year before.  But unfortunately the school district and the city never voluntarily came out to tell people this before the vote.  

The more that's kept a secret, the better for the elected and metroplex  

first....I don't care what schenectadians pay in taxes.....that is their problem to handle.

I 'gratefully', and by choice......don't have a vote in the city!! NOT MY PROBLEM!!!

second.....folks bit@h and moan about their school taxes and yet very few get involved in the process.

ask folks the name of the folks who are on their school board.

looking this stuff up on line is hardly as effective as being up close and personal at these meetings.

imo

It's ALWAYS about the levy....

2% of $2 million is not the same as 2% of $1 million

then you have to equalization math.....

and let's not forget the PILOTS

math IS the universal language and you can say a lot with math.....one of those things is 'SCREW YOU'....as per the tax man.....

that is why many more municipalities are opting for the EVERY POPULAR FEES........