School District Proposes $18.5 Million in Spending: December 11th Vote Scheduled

The Whitehall School District, which Huletts Landing is part of, is proposing an $18.5 million school upgrade project with most of the money coming from tax dollars held in the District’s capital reserve fund and new taxes which they anticipate, but cannot guarantee, will be reimbursed by the state of New York.

The $18.5 million project will be put in front of voters in a special referendum on December 11, 2018 in two bond propositions.

Bond Proposition # 1 will ask voters to approve $16,592,061 in total costs to construct alterations and improvements to all district buildings and the sites thereof. Included are replacements of roofs, fire alarm enhancements, new boilers and HVAC systems, window replacements, high school science rooms, relocation of the elementary school office and a new high school bleacher system and outdoor track. Bond Proposition # 1 will authorize spending $4,838,921 that the district holds in a capital reserve fund from taxes that have been placed in the fund since 2014. It will further authorize a tax of $11,753,140 and the issuance of bonds to be paid by the district in case the state does not reimburse this amount.

Because of Whitehall’s economic status the district is eligible for 78.2 % of every dollar that is spent on this project to be reimbursed by the state of New York. This reimbursement is not technically guaranteed and that is why voters are voting to tax and issue bonds for any amounts above what is held in the district’s capital reserve fund. State aid can fluctuate or change.

Bond Proposition # 2 will ask voters to approve an additional $1,908,449 in taxes and the issuance of bonds in the event Proposition # 1 is approved.

The total cost of the project is expected to be: $18,500,510.

Between both bond propositions, voters are being asked to approve spending the $4,838,921 that the district holds in its capital reserve fund and a total of $13,661,589 in new taxes.