On May 21, 2019, Catskill Central School District Voters approved the school budget for the 2019-20 school year. The budget totals $42,640,929, up a total of $847,901, a 2.03 percent increase from the previous year’s budget. The budget carried a projected tax levy increase of 3.34 percent, which was under the allowable limit of 3.89 percent set by the NYS property tax cap. Because the 2019-20 budget stayed under the cap, most homeowners living in the District were eligible for the NYS STAR Property Tax Rebate that fall.
2019-20 Budget Documents
2019-20 Catskill CSD Budget & NYS Property Tax Report Card
Legal Notice of 2019 Budget Vote/Board Election
Budget Development Presentations
Catskill CSD Enrollment Data and Projections 3-6-2019
Superintendent’s Forum- A Breakdown of the High School’s Budget 1-24-2019
Superintendent’s Forum- A Breakdown of the Middle School’s Budget 01-8-2019
Superintendent’s Forum- A Breakdown of the Elementary School’s Budget 12-04-2018
Superintendent’s Forum- A Budget Conversation 11-19-2018
Property Tax Cap Information
Contrary to popular belief, the NYS Property Tax Cap does not cap tax increases at 2 percent. Instead, public schools must use a state formula each year to determine the amount they can increase their tax levies by without having to seek a higher percentage of voter approval for the budget. This threshold is usually different each year and may be above or below 2%. The district must determine its tax cap number and submit it to the state by March 1st of each year.
Catskill’s tax cap for 2019 was 3.89 percent.
If the year-to-year increase of the District’s tax levy (portion of the school budget funded by property tax) is at or below the number determined by the formula (the “cap”), a simple majority (50% + 1) of voter approval is needed to pass the budget. If the District puts before voters a budget that carries a tax levy increase above the number determined by the formula, a super majority (60%) of voter approval is needed for the budget to pass.