Rotterdam-Mohonasen CSD tax levy and tax rates for 2017-18

Update Sept. 13, 2017: During the Sept. 11, 2017, Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Business Christopher Ruberti made a presentation on the impact of the Guilderland equalization rates. View the presentation here. If you have questions regarding the presentation, please contact Mr. Ruberti at (518) 356-8210.

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August 30, 2017

Dear Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District Taxpayers,

We are writing to share some important information regarding school tax bills, particularly for residents of Guilderland whose bills reflect a significant drop in equalization rate and subsequent increase in school taxes.

As a reminder, the increase for each individual taxpayer is impacted not only by the levy increase approved by voters each year but also by the assessed value of the individual homeowner’s property and the equalization rate of their town. The assessed value of a property is determined by the town and generally remains consistent, absent any improvements made to the property. The equalization rate is set by the state and measures the relationship between the assessed value and the market value of properties within a town.

When the equalization rate declines, it generally means that the overall market value of properties in a town has increased in relation to assessed values. When a town has a shift in equalization rate, it results in redistribution of the tax share among the towns within the school district. As the equalization rate for a town drops, that town’s share of the levy increases.

This year there was a significant drop in the equalization rate for the Town of Guilderland, and a small drop in the equalization rate in the Town of Colonie. The resulting tax rates and share of the total tax levy for property owners in each town in the Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District for 2017-18 are as follows:

Town	2016-17 Share of Levy	2017-18 Share of Levy	2017-18 Tax Rate Change
Rotterdam	91.8%	91.1%	1.98%
Guilderland	4.4%	5.0%	18.75%
Colonie	3.8%	3.9%	3.78%

*If equalization rates remained unchanged each town would have had tax rates of 2.02%

It is important to understand that New York State sets the equalization rates for each town, not the school district. School districts have no legal authority to modify state equalization rates, assessments, or tax rate calculations.

Should you need additional information, please contact the Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District Office at (518) 356-8210.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kathleen Spring
Superintendent

Christopher Ruberti
Assistant Superintendent for Business