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Croton-Harmon School Budget Comes In Under Tax Cap

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- The Croton-Harmon School District has adopted a budget for the 2013-14 school year that stays below its state-determined tax cap of 2.7 percent.

The Croton-Harmon School District Board of Education adopted its 2013-14 budget last week.

The Croton-Harmon School District Board of Education adopted its 2013-14 budget last week.

Photo Credit: file photo

The $44.5 million budget adopted by the Board of Education on April 11 would be a 2.78 percent increase from the current year's budget. The tax levy increase for next year would be 2.33 percent.

"We've been under the cap for the last few years, and we're seeing modest tax increases, but we've been able to hold the line for the most part," said Superintendent of Schools Edward Fuhrman.

In the town of Cortlandt, where most of the district's taxpayers reside, the rate is estimated to increase to 2.59 percent. For the about 10 percent of district taxpayers who live in Yorktown, taxes would decrease by 1 percent.

Fuhrman said the district was not planning to make any notable faculty or staff cuts for the coming year.

"We had thought we would have to make some reductions, but we've been able to handle the budget in various ways so we're not seeing any kind of major staffing decline at this time," he said. "That doesn't mean things will be good in the future, but for next year we'll be OK."

A busing equipment proposition will also be on the ballot that would increase the average district tax bill by about $20. The district does not include transportation improvement costs in its operating budgets, he said.

Two trustee seats on the seven-member Croton-Harmon Board of Education will also be contested in the May 21 vote. Incumbent trustees Beth Roth and Teri Lukin are not seeking new terms.

"We have at least four people who have submitted their signed petitions, so we're going to have a race here for a change," Fuhrman said.

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