Dear Editor,
The property owners of the Owego Apalachin Central School District received their school tax bills this week. Depending on the effect of New York State’s Equalization and Assessments, the 3.7 percent tax levy increase, assessed by your Board, resulted in a 4.7 percent increase over last years’ Owego tax bills.
Superintendent Russell and the other school employees, teachers, administrators, etc., will get their annual increases of 2 percent to 5 percent from their union contracts and the over bloated 2015-16 school budget, which 638 parents, students, employees and supporters approved. For sure they will have the extra dollars to pay on Oct. 2.
But what about the “unemployed”, the “underemployed”, the “seniors” on fixed incomes, and those earning a living on the farm: where do they go for their extra dollars?
Wages have not kept up with inflation for the past 10 years. And the forecast for 2016 COLA increase for Social Security is zero! However, Dr. Russell, by spinning numbers, proved in his budget presentation, that percentage-wise, your increases in social security more than outpaced his increases in school taxes. Dr. Russell successfully proved to his Board members, that you can afford to pay your school taxes this year and they agreed.
So, on Oct. 2, when your school taxes go delinquent, call Dr. Russell and the school’s board and ask them for some of the bloat in this years’ budget to cover your tax bill. The Board of Education phone number is (607) 687-6215. Don’t be bashful, call!
I believe with the fat, built into this years’ budget, they can easily cover everyone’s tax bill, (the tax increase was ONLY $589,134.00) and still have $500,000.00 left over to stash in Reserves come next June 2016. I also hear you saying, sure Joe, “Come on, the Board is not going to pay anyone’s tax increase!” And you’re right! But you can call.
AND YOU CAN VOTE NEXT YEAR! The Board of Education cannot increase your taxes if you come out and vote NO! Four hundred and twenty-three did vote NO this May 19, hundreds more did not vote.
When an additional 400-plus come out and vote NO next May, there will be no tax levy increase.
Current New York State law provides: If school budgets are voted down twice by the tax paying public; the school must operate without any additional revenues from taxes. They will have to figure out how to operate on the additional $3 to $5 million extra dollars they will receive from NYS Education Aid and other government sources and do without another $500,000.00 in new taxes, driving your tax bill up another 5 percent.
Mark your 2016 calendar today for May 17, 2016 and VOTE NO!
Sincerely,
Joe Chartrand
Founder, Tioga Citizens for Affordable Education & Excellence
Owego, N.Y.
