Lake-area school leaders call for relief
Regulating district behind on taxesBy MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-Herald
MAYFIELD - A committee of six school superintendents from districts bordering the Great Sacandaga Lake asked Gov. David Paterson on Tuesday to help the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District pay its school taxes, or at least exempt the six school districts from any mid-year aid cuts.
The Committee of Great Sacandaga Lake School District Superintendents issued a three-page position statement to several state officials, Mayfield Central School District Superintendent Paul G. Williamsen said Tuesday.
"We seek, minimally, payment of the outstanding school taxes due our districts or, failing that, special legislation passed that would guarantee payment in lieu of taxes," the statement reads. "In addition, as our quest for relief proceeds, we respectfully request that our districts be exempted from any mid-year cuts in New York state school aid that may be implemented."
The superintendents committee represents the Broadalbin-Perth, Hadley-Luzerne, Mayfield, Northville and Wells central school districts, as well as the Edinburg Common School District.
The statement was issued Tuesday to Paterson and state and federal legislators, with copies to various entities including HRBRRD Executive Director Glenn LaFave and his Board of Directors. LaFave said Tuesday he hadn't received the correspondence yet.
The regulating district owes roughly $1.2 million to the school districts.
Williamsen said the superintendents simply want to "avoid a problem with the taxpayers."
He said HRBRRD owes his district $354,000, "a substantial amount of money." He also said the Mayfield school district faces a $292,000 mid-year state aid cut.
"We're looking for intervention from the state in whatever means," Northville Central School District Superintendent Kathy Dougherty said Tuesday. "We have a job to do."
She said her district wants relief from $176,000 in mid-year state aid cuts.
A spokesman for the governor wasn't available this morning.
On Oct. 13, the seven-member HRBRRD Board of Directors voted unanimously to defer payments of the district's 2009 school taxes owed to the six area school districts.
LaFave said Tuesday the decision followed a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia that changed the Regulating District's ability to collect fees from various hydropower companies affected by the district's control of Great Sacandaga Lake water levels.
Those companies comprise a significant component of the regulating district's downstream beneficiaries and revenue sources, the school superintendents' letter noted.
"We can no longer assess Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-licensed hydroelectric plants for school and property taxes," LaFave said.
The regulating district's Web site says there will be a significant revenue shortfall, which could approach $4 million of the Regulating District's $5.4 million operating budget for the Hudson River area.
The state comptroller's office has denied the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District's request to transfer some of its money to help it pay school taxes.
LaFave said he has "touched bases" with the superintendents and the district has deferred payments, but his hands are somewhat tied.
"Obviously, if we can't collect money, we can't pay," he said.
Michael Anich can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.
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ps1222
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12-01-09 2:40 PM
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Clearly the state needs to pay the bill. A simple solution to this mess : Why not sell or give the lakefront land to the permit holders and then they pay the taxes on the land. Then – get rid of most of the folks at the HRBRRD since they won’t have any permit system to run. Let the towns govern the lake front as far as rules. This will reduce the problems with the regulating district and the locals, it will reduce the number of state workers (helping the state in reductions) and it will ensure that the taxes get paid. This is how all other waterfront property is dealt with around the state, why does this lake have to be any different? Time to simplify and get the state out of the permit business. These tax bills can then be treated just as any other property tax bills. This is what we need to be telling Paterson.
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laker88
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11-25-09 10:36 PM
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The logical merger is Edinburg-Northville, but last time it came up, it didn't even pass a straw vote...which, if passed, would only mean that a study would be conducted on the merger. How could people not even want a study done??? Re Hudson River deferring their tax payments, maybe that's setting a precedent for other tax payers to follow!
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robare
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11-25-09 8:29 PM
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Dont forget the bridge is now only one way. The bus ride is longer when you consider the stops to pick up the students and the weather. From Edinburg to Hadley the roads do get curvy and that adds time. Merging has been spoken of for years.
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givemeabreak
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11-25-09 4:30 PM
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rachelrae33 first of all Edinburg is NOT K-12 Northville is and actually pre-k to 12. and Edinburg is pre-k to 6th. Edinburg students go to Northville 7-12. so obviously you didn't do you homework right. and why would Northville merge with Hadley when Mayfield is closer. that is if it needed to do so?? i say get rid of some aids and teachers and staff... when i was in school there were alot more students and less staff no problems.
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rachelrae33
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11-25-09 1:02 PM
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Well from the center of N'ville to the center of Hadley its 30 minutes and 22 miles. Just checked on Yahoo and route it shows probably has all the kids on it. Ediniburg would be even closer to Hadley too. Lake Luzurne is about 5 minutes further then Hadley.I used to ride the bus for an hour and a half. I went to J'town and lived in Caroga Lake. How long is too long then? If these school districts are serious about saving money then merging and laying off staff is one way to do it.
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IKnooow
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11-25-09 12:44 PM
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How long would a bus trip be for a Northville student to go to Hadley Luzerne each day? the reason rural schools don't merge is because the students are spread over such a wide geographic area. The schools might be able to share certain administrative services, but you still need a principal, school nurse, lunch program etc. in each building.
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rachelrae33
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11-25-09 12:10 PM
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If they want relief then merge. Why does Edinburg have a school anyway. Merge it with Hadley-Luzerne. I just checked and Hadley-Luzerne has less then 500 students. Edinburg has less then 800. Now that's the entire school k-12. Northville has even less then Edinburg coming in at less then 600. Someone should do study of the tax benefits of merging all three of these schools.
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