CLYMER – The Clymer Central School District is not only proposing a tax increase, but one that actually goes beyond the state tax cap.
According to the Post-Journal, the Clymer School Board approved a tentative budget for next year that includes a 13 percent tax levy increase.
Superintendent Ed Bailey said the main reason for the steep hike is a restructuring of administrative staff at the district, which is necessary due to the overwhelming ‘no’ vote on the Clymer-Panama Merger from last year. As a result of that vote, Panama ended its shared-service agreement with Clymer, meaning the two districts would no longer share the cost of some administrative functions.
Bailey also cited two consecutive school years that featured 0 percent increases in the budget and a decrease in state aid as other reasons for the increased tax levy.
The total proposed budget the board approved is $11.56 million dollars with $4.64 million covered by the tax levy. Because the budget exceeds the state tax cap, a super majority of voters in the district will have to vote yes for it to pass, otherwise an austerity budget will have to be put in place.
A public hearing on the Clymer school budget is set for May 7.
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