WHITE PLAINS PRELIM SCHOOL BUDGET RISES 3.4%. TAX RATE GOES UP $28/$1,000 (3.5%) TOTAL BUDGET $226.3 MILLION–UP FROM $218.6 MIllion BUDGET VOTE: MAY 21. | 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 11, 2019:

Taxpayers in White Plains will be faced with a 3.5% increase in their school tax rate, if the preliminary Superintendent’s Budget stays as it is. And if there is no last minute legislative infusion of school aid to the White Plains School District, or cuts by the Board of Education

In one of the more detailed presentations of the budget this evening at White Plains Education House, before 40 persons, Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca detailed at $226,285,980 budget for 2019-20, a 3.4% increase over the current school year budget of $21,593,020.

The increase up from the $225 Million projection made in January previously, was two PILOT Projects expiring and going on to the tax roll.

According to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Ann Vaccaro-Teich the 3.4% increase in the budget /results in a 3.5% increase in the tax rate/per $1,000 of assessed valuation of $28, (raising the tax rate from $644.66 per to $672.66/ $1,000 of assessed valutation.

The $28 increase in the tax rate means that the median priced home in White Plains ($650,000) will pay approximately $462 more in school taxes, $11,082 compared to $10,620 this year.

The budget introduces a new Capital Reserve Fund of $25 Million to be raised over the next 10 years to pay for maintenaing the district aging buildings. The establishment of that $25 Million reserve decision would have to be approved in a proposition by the voters in the May 21 School District Budget Vote.

The vote on May 21 will also have a proposition to expend $6.4 Million out of the existing Capital Reserve Fund to cover infrastructure renovations at Highlands School and the high school.

The School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Rica told WPCNR that there were no cuts made to the original budget submitted a month ago.

He also emphasized during the presentation that White Plains School District would receive $65,000 in state aid this year an increased of ½ a percent. This, of course could change.

Dr. Ricca emphasized that if the budget is defeated twice it would have to be cut by 6.3 Million.

In reviewing projected White Plains School District enrollment, showing White Plains enrollment remaining at the 7,000 level over the next 4 years, Dr. Ricca said the projection did not project any increases from the 6,000 plus apartments planned to be

built over the next decade.