Two residents showed up for the public hearing on the Herkimer Central School District’s proposed budget on Tuesday.
District superintendent Carol Zygo reviewed the $18,072,477 proposed 2008-09 operations budget. The budget calls for a tax levy increase of 2.27 percent. The projected tax rate increase is 2.53 percent, up from the tax levy increase due to a small reduction in assessed value of the district.
Zygo broke it down for what the increase would mean for the taxpayer:
• Those with the enhanced star exemption, which is taxpayers over 65, with an assessed property value of $75,000 would pay an additional $11.75 for the 2008-09 school year. Those with an assessed property value of $100,000 would pay an additional $23.50 for the school year.
• Those with the basic star exemption, with a property assessed at $75,000 would pay an additional $21.15 for the 2008-09 school year. Those with a property value assessed at $100,000 would pay an additional $32.90 for the school year.
• Those taxpayers with no star exemption with a property assessed at $75,000 would pay an additional $32.25 for the 2008-09 school year. Those with a property value of $100,000 would pay an additional $47 for the school year.
Business Manager Chuck Mower says that in 2008 more than 80 percent of the parcels in the district have a true value below $100,000 and 75 percent had a true value below $75,000.
The enhancements for the district included in this budget are as follows: an additional elementary teacher, one full-time school psychologist, a speech/therapist, an elementary special education teacher, an elementary special education aide, reinstating one lunch monitor in each of the buildings, adding a bus monitor and adding two part-time building cleaners.
 The expenditures of the budget are made up of three main areas. The program portion of the budget is the largest part with 68.33 percent. The capital area of the budget is 22.34 percent and the administration is 9.33 percent.
On the revenue side of the budget, state aid makes up 59.76 percent of the budget, or $10,800,398. The property tax makes up 36.03 percent, other revenues are 3.10 percent and the fund balance is 1.11 percent of the budget.
The state aid for the district is up from last year and Zygo says this is because the Herkimer school district is considered a “high needs” district.
“The state aid will help school districts get some items and programs that we may not be able to have otherwise,” Zygo said.
The public will vote on the proposed budget on May 20.
In addition to the budget vote, which is proposition 1, there will be a few other propositions to vote on as well.
Proposition 2 will be a bus purchase proposition. The district is looking to buy one new 66 passenger bus and two new vans with the amount not to exceed $200,000.
“This will help us get on a rotational schedule so none of our buses exceed 10 years,” Zygo said.
Proposition 3 is a Basloe Library proposition. The library is looking to increase its aid by $35,000, therefore on the ballot is a proposition allowing the school board to tax levy that $35,000 for the library.
The final item is the vote on school board members. There are two people running for two open board positions. Incumbent Charles Miller will be running for re-election and Herkimer resident Mark Conley will be seeking election.
On May 13 the budget notice and newsletter “Key Notes” will be mailed to all district residents. Detail of the 2008-09 budget is available for review in the district office.