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MONTROSE, N.Y. A community survey was launched by Hendrick Hudson School District officials on Friday that is meant to assess residents opinions on the districts two most pressing issues, the tax cap and a recently defeated bond referendum.
This is an opportunity for us to gauge what our communitys priorities are, said Rick McCormack, spokesperson for Hen Hud School District. After the bond defeat it was necessary to take a step back and examine what our community expects from our school system and where we ought to focus our attention. This survey will offer us an unfiltered snapshot of those priorities and an opportunity to better meet their expectations going forward.
Survey questions ask whether voters would support up to $11.1 million in capital improvements, financed through bonds. The district has broken the proposals contained in the defeated bond referendum into several individual questions such as Would you support or oppose a new bond issue just to replace the track and field with artificial turf at a cost of $2.2 million dollars?
Notably absent from the survey are questions about the stand-alone performing arts center, which comprised nearly half the cost of the bond proposal defeated in December.
The survey also asks questions about the tax cap, which could be one of the school boards top financial priority. School districts must pass budgets by popular vote and any budget exceeding a 2 percent tax levy cap must by passed by a 60 percent supermajority. Popular vote on the districts operating budget will take place in early spring.
The implementation of the 2 percent tax levy cap legislation means many districts, including Hen Hud, must cap their tax levy below 2 percent. Hen Hud will have to cap its tax levy at 1.7 percent in order to pass an operating budget by simple majority. If the district goes over a tax levy increase of 1.7 percent, the budget must pass a 60 percent supermajority.
Some survey questions are designed to gauge the publics understanding of the tax cap. One question asks, The tax cap most directly affects followed by a list of options. Others ask whether the community would support up to a 3.7 percent tax levy increase to avoid programming cuts.
The 26 question survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and was designed by former school board member David White. The survey is designed to be comparable with the results from the last community survey, taken in 2008. The survey is available at the district website or via phone at (914) 296-0317.
Officials wrote that the survey was developed at minimal cost to the district and taxpayer.
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