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Carmel
School District taxpayers to get a break
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| By:Eric Gross |
August
30, 2001 |
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PATTERSON-When
residents in the Carmel School District receive school tax bills next
week, most property owners won't be complaining.
While taxes have risen by 7.7-percent in the Carmel portion of the
school district, tax rates have declined by nearly 13-percent in the
Kent, Patterson and Southeast portions of the 84-square mile district
due to revaluation.
Add to that the STAR (State Tax Abatement Reduction) and property owners
will be getting quite a break on their school tax bills this year.
Carmel Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Terranova said the STAR had increased
from $600 last year to $925 this year. "The STAR money is a
godsend. It really helps the local taxpayer," she said.
Carmel's new Assistant Superintendent Ron Wilson said the $62.4 million
2001-2002 budget was a "tight budget. It was well prepared. There
is no extra money built into it. It's great that the district was able
to keep taxes in check and with the STAR, most taxpayers will experience
a small increase or for the majority of our residents, a decrease in
school taxes this year."
In Carmel, tax rates have increased from $23.15 last year to $24.96 for
the new school year. For an average home assessed at $200,000, school
taxes were $4630 last year before the $600 STAR exemption.
This year, that same home will receive a tax bill of $4992. With the
$925 STAR exemption, the revised tax bill will be $4067 or only $37 more
than the 2000-2001 school year.
In Kent, tax rates have dropped from $23.27 per $1,000 of assessed
property value to $20.31 or by 12.72-percent.
In Patterson, taxes have also declined dramatically from $23.28 to
$20.32 per $1,000 and in the Southeast portion of the district taxes
have declined by 12-percent from $23.11 to $20.32 per $1,000.
In the Putnam Valley and East Fishkill sections of the district taxes
have increased. In Putnam Valley, property owners will pay 13-percent
more this year and in East Fishkill, Carmel school taxes have risen by
6.4-percent.
George Michaud, director of Putnam County's Real Property Tax Services
agency, said property assessments determine one's tax bill.
"Southeast, Kent and Patterson updated their assessments this year
which has dropped the rates for the three towns by about
10-percent," he said.
Mr. Michaud said the three municipalities that reassessed market value
on homes increased by about 25-percent.
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