SHARE

Proposed Tax Cap Worries Bedford Central Schools

While students and teachers in the Bedford Central School District celebrate the end of the school year with field days, fun days and graduations, school administrators are crunching numbers trying to figure out how they will pay the bills next year.

“The tax cap will inevitably hurt schools and affect the quality of public education while also limiting the voters' ability to make local decisions. We have been prudent and passed budgets with tax levy increases lower than 2 percent for three years and will continue to address that which we can control,” Susan Wollin, president of the Bedford Central School District Board of Education said on behalf of the Board.

Wollin said she is expecting difficulties if proposed legislation to limit the amount of money school districts and local governments will be allowed to raise through taxes, is passed by the State Legislature.

The proposed law would cap property taxes, preventing them from increasing by more than a few percentage points, with the goal of relieving the tax burden on Westchester homeowners, who pay among the highest property taxes in the country.

Local property taxpayers have carried an increasing share of the burden to fund school district budgets, as the state has cut its state aid contribution nearly every year. At the same time, school district must follow expensive state mandates for items such as special education, teacher pensions and other benefits where costs continue to rise.

“If the governor or state legislature wants to offer relief to its taxpayers, they should start with relief for unfunded state mandates that require local communities and school districts to significantly increase spending and therefore raise local property taxes without advancing student achievement,” said Adam H. Yuro, president of the Bedford Teachers Association.

According to Assemblywoman Sandra Galef (D-Ossining) who represents the 90th Assembly district, which includes Peekskill, Cortlandt and Ossining among other communities in Westchester, Putnam, and Duchess Counties, the cap being considered would be anywhere from 2 percent to 5 percent, but it is likely to be closer to the lower number.

Despite the outcry against the measure by school administrators and parents, Galef said she expects the measure to be adopted by both the Assembly and the Senate. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he is in support of the tax cap. Further, Galef said she will vote in favor of the new law.

Legislators will end their session for the summer on Monday, and the law is expected to reach the floor prior to the close of the session, Galef said. 

to follow Daily Voice Bedford and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE