School Budget for 2016-17 LOWERED TO $208.5 MILLION FROM $209.3 MILLION. TAX INCREASE IS 1/3 OF A PERCENT–THANKS TO NEW SCHOOL AID OF $2.2 MILLION. TAX RATE GOES UP ONE DOLLAR AND 87 CENTS | WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR---65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. BY JOHN F. BAILEY. MARCH 15, 2016:

IN THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED WHITE PLAINS SCHOOL BUDGET MONDAY EVENING AT 5 HOMESIDE LANE, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS FRED SEILER PRESENTING HIS LAST BUDGET FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PRESENTED A NEW BUDGET OF $208,550,000–$780,000 LESS THAN THE $209,300,000 PREVIOUSLY PROJECTED.

Assistant Superintendent for Business Fred Seiler presenting the new, lowered 2016-17 School Budget Monday night.

HE TOLD WPCNR DECREASE IN THE PROJECTED BUDGET WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A $2,182,720 INCREASE IN STATE AID BRINGING TOTAL STATE AID TO WP TO $22,357,000. SEILER TOLD WPCNR THIS THIS IS THE MOST STATE AID WHITE PLAINS HAS RECEIVED IN 25 YEARS.

THE NEW AID CUT THE PROJECTED TAX RATE FROM $230 PER THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE TO $215.61. HAD AID NOT BEEN INCREASED THE HIGHER AMOUNT MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE PREVAILED SINCE THE FLAT ASSESSMENT ROLE WOULD NOT KEEP PACE WITH THE ALLOWED TAX CAP INCREASE ROLLING OVER THE BUDGET

THE TOTAL BUDGET INCREASE IS 1.34% COMPARED TO THIS YEAR’S BUDGET INCREASE OF 2.95%.

THE TOTAL BUDGET IS $208,550,000. THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE 1/3 OF A PERCENT.