Another building sits empty in Whitehall, as the school board stockpiles cash for no stated purpose.
What is a Property Tax Report Card?
Education Law section 1608(7) requires that each year the board of trustees shall prepare a property tax report card, pursuant to regulations of the Commissioner of Education. The law further requires school boards to approve the report card and to make it publicly available by transmitting it to local newspapers of general circulation, appending it to copies of the proposed budget made publicly available by law, making it available for distribution at the annual meeting, and otherwise disseminating it as required by the Commissioner.
A copy of the property tax report card prepared for the annual district meeting shall be submitted to the department by the end of the business day next following approval of the report by the trustee or board of trustees, but no later than twenty-four days prior to the statewide uniform voting day. The law requires that the State Education Department compile the data submitted by school districts and make it publicly available at least 10 days prior to the statewide uniform voting day.
Caveats are in order in interpreting these data. These data are self-reported by the school districts that hold a budget vote.
Ever heard of this? Ever see a copy of this? Neither had I, but when I read this, I tracked down the Property Tax Report Card for the Whitehall School District.
Here is the pertinent information.
A couple of points to note.
1.) While there was no increase in the budget or the tax levy this year, enrollment dropped by 35 students or 3.89% from 2008/09 to 2009/10.
2.) The undesignated fund balance of $590,036 for 2008-2009 was 4.32% of the budget. This was higher than the 4.0% allowed by law.
3.) The reserved fund balance grew from $2,443,109 from 2008/09 to $2,461,856 in 2009/10.
4.) There is an undesignated fund balance of $416,524 or 3.05% for the 2009/10 budget. In other words, the Board has over-budgeted and overcharged this amount and has not allocated it for anything. It just sits there until they can think of a reason to spend it.
The Governor in his deficit reduction plan of 10/23/09 notices the amount of reserves school districts are holding. “Did you know that 95 percent of school districts have reported undesignated reserves in excess of their proposed DRP reduction?”
The Whitehall school board should be ashamed by the statistics they have put forward. While houses sit for sale and businesses close, they are stockpiling money for no stated purpose. As enrollment drops, they don’t cut taxes accordingly. Sounds like a great way to kill a town.