Mayor Michael Tautznik suggested separating the funding requests because some of the expenses would be one-time expenses.
Nancy FollansbeeEASTHAMPTON – Voters could be looking at two override questions in the fall – a nearly $1.4 million Proposition 2 1/2 property tax override and a $465,000 debt exclusion override to pay for new computers and repairs to the football field.
School Superintendent Nancy Follansbee presented the numbers to the City Council Finance Subcommittee Thursday night, which took a few comments but did not discuss the numbers in any depth.
About two dozen parents and school officials attended the meeting. The subcommittee was slated to review the proposed $15 million school budget.
Finance Subcommittee chairman Daniel C. Hagan said the committee would come up with a time to meet with school officials and those who wanted to address the override questions and let people know when at the full council meeting Wednesday.
Parents and school officials made their plea to the full City Council last week to place the Proposition 21/2 property tax override question on the ballot in November.
Follansbee said she talked to Mayor Michael A. Tautznik and he suggested the debt exclusion override for some of the items.
“Some of it’s for one-time expenses,” Tautznik said. This way, the costs would not be permanently added to the tax rate.
In her presentation, Follansbee said that the override request is divided into three sections. The first part looks at raising $515,956 to close the gap for the 2013 fiscal year; the second for $329,000 to restore some positions, programs and services that have been cut over the last five years; and $540,000 as an investment in the future. That section looks at what the district needs for a 21st century education, she said.
The total property tax override request is for $1,384,956 plus the additional $465,000 debt exclusion. The council, if it agrees, would place the questions on separately.
Follansbee said that they need new computers. The computers are “eight years old and can no longer be updated. We’re limping along.”
John R. Schott, technology coordinator said, “We are in dire straights.” He said that Department of Education plans to have all state testing done on-line in 2015. “We probably would not be able to comply,” he said.
“Give us the choice,” said Peter Marks, a father of three. He wants the questions on the ballot so that voters can decide the district’s future.
Easthampton voters have approved two debt exclusion overrides one for the Public Safety complex and another for the new high school under construction but not a Proposition 2 ½ tax override.
The cost of the new school has added 83 cents to the tax rate or about $190 a year for fiscal 2013 to the homeowner with a house valued at $230,000. The city will pay that off over 20 years.
Last month, Finance Director Melissa Zawadzki said an override of $500,000 would add 36 cents to the tax rate, a $1 million override would add 71 cents and a $1.5 million would add $1.07.