In alignment with the Garden City Board of Education’s Legislative Affairs Committee’s goal of enhancing communication with the community, Garden City Public Schools has continued its “Question of the Week” feature. If you have a question you’d like answered about public or board policy, school district operations, or budget preparation and voting, please email: knightc@gcufsd.net.
Q: What is the difference between the tax levy and a property owner’s tax rate?
A: It is important to understand the distinction between tax levy and tax rate. New York State’s tax levy limit law restricts school districts’ and municipalities’ total tax levy. This is different and apart from an individual property owner’s tax rate.
The total tax levy is defined as the total amount of property taxes a school district must collect to balance its budget after accounting for all other revenue sources including state aid. The school district is required to use the state’s formula for calculating its maximum allowable tax levy. For the upcoming school year, the total increase allowable for Garden City has been calculated at 0.69 percent. The district has proposed a projected tax increase of 0.61 percent (with STAR). This figure places the budget increase below the allowable tax levy, and therefore requires a simple majority of the vote for budget passage on May 19.
A public school district cannot exceed its total tax levy limit, unless voters choose to override the tax levy limit with a 60 percent supermajority. A property owner’s tax rate is listed on his/her property tax bill. The rate will change if there are changes in the property’s assessment, e.g., if a property owner modifies a property or successfully grieves his/her property taxes.
Upon the board of education’s adoption of the 2015-16 budget on April 22, the district will provide a property tax calculator to assist property owners in calculating his/her projected taxes for the upcoming year. This will be available on the district’s website: www.gardencity.k12.ny.us under the Budget Information tab.
Q: Does the maximum tax levy limit calculated by the district mean my school property taxes will match the district’s proposed increase?
A: No. An individual’s property school tax will vary according to the assessed property value. Any increases or reductions in the assessed property value since the last assessment will change the tax bill accordingly. Increases in individual property tax bills are often different from increases in the tax levy due to a variety of factors outside a school district’s control, such as the property’s assessed value, the assessed value of all Garden City properties and changes in the county’s adjusted base proportions.
—Submitted by the Garden City Public School District
