Lower Tax Hike Than Expected For Clarkstown School District Residents

The Clarkstown Board of Education approved a 1.46 percent homestead tax rate for school district residents for the 2013-2014 school year. The increase is lower than the 2.9 percent discussed during the school budget process.

“It’s good news for residents,” said Assistant School Superintendent John LaNave at Wednesday’s meeting. 

He explained that the base proportion determines how the tax rate will be divided between homestead – residents – and non-homestead – commercial properties. The town tax assessor calculates the base proportions, which are then provided to the school district. 

LaNave said residents are paying a slightly smaller portion of the overall tax bill than they did last year, which is why the homestead tax rate fell from the originally anticipated figure of 2.9 percent. He said residents will pay 68.50344 percent of the overall tax bill for 2013-2014 compared to 70.38320 percent paid for the past school year.      

Also at the meeting, the board approved hiring Michael St. John as district coordinator of secondary education at an annual salary of $120,000 and Eric Sigman as district coordinator of math, science and technology at an annual salary of $126,000. St. John’s appointment was effective on Wednesday and Sigman’s appointment takes effect on Monday, Aug. 26.