Saugerties School Spending, Property Taxes & State Aid - Last 10 Years

Saugerties School Spending/Property Taxes - State Aid - Last 10 Years

Year	Spending	% increase	Prop. Taxes	% increase	State Aid	% increase
2007-8	$49,782,430	xxx	$26,613,958	xxx	$19,573,807	xxx
2008-9	$52,135,740	4.7%	$27,129,415	1.9%	$22,818,715	16.6%
2009-10	$52,650,000	1.0%	$28,850,000	6.3%	$22,023,360	-3.5%
2010-11	$52,685,973	0.1%	$32,476,720	12.6%	$19,600,825	-11.0%
2011-12	$53,327,600	1.2%	$34,549,659	6.4%	$18,242,941	-6.9%
2012-13	$54,676,980	2.5%	$35,194,753	1.9%	$18,297,227	0.3%
2013-14	$55,882,331	2.2%	$35,892,979	2.0%	$18,870,033	3.1%
2014-15	$57,432,984	2.8%	$36,509,983	1.7%	$19,608,968	3.9%
2015-16	$59,306,508	3.3%	$37,148,061	1.7%	$20,566,002	4.9%
2016-17	$61,015,000	2.9%	$37,190,000	0.1%	$21,840,156	6.2%
2017-18	$62,384,032	2.2%	$37,771,856	1.6%	$22,701,466	3.9%

Summary - Last 10 years

Cumulative Spending Increase - 25.3%

Average Annual Spending Increase - 2.5%

Cumulative Property Tax Increase - 41.9%

Average Annual Property Tax Increase - 4.2%

Cumulative State Aid Increase - 16%
Average Annual State Aid Increase - 1.6%

Comprehensive Review of Saugerties Police Merger

POLICE MERGER IMPACT ON PROPERTY TAXPAYERS

Property Tax on Police Services ($200,000 home)	2010 – Pre Merger	2017	Savings/Increase
Village Taxpayer	$889.20	$290.29	Savings of $598.91 or 206.3%
Town Taxpayer	$207.87	$290.29	Increase of $82.42 or 39.6%

2017 Saugerties Police Budget with Fringe Benefits	$3,688,306 43% of General Fund
2017 Saugerties Property Tax on Police Services ($200,000 home)	$440.90

SPENDING (Excluding Fringe Benefits)

2011 Saugerties Police Budget	$1,811,500	25.3% of General Fund
2017 Saugerties Police Budget	$2,428,438	28.3% of General Fund
Total Spending Increase 2011 to 2017	$616,938	Ave Increase – 5.7%/yr  of Inflation – 1.5%

PERSONNEL SPENDING

2011 Saugerties PD Total Personnel Budget	$1,572,500	86.8% of Police Budget
2017 Saugerties PD Total Personnel Budget	$2,428,438	85.6% of Police Budget Ave. Increase – 5.4% per yr

How to Grieve your Assessment

Many Saugerties property owners were notified recently of higher assessed values.  Assessed values are important because it determines the amount of property taxes paid on a parcel.  A higher assessment doesn't necessarily mean property taxes will increase.

If you don't agree with your new assessment, you can file a grievance with the Saugerties Assessor on or before Grievance Day - Tuesday, May 23, 2017.  The Board of Assessment Review will meet from 4pm to 8pm that day at the Saugerties Senior Center on Market Street.

Click here to view an instructional booklet on how to grieve your assessment.  

To file a formal complaint, it must in writing and submitted on a required form - RP-524,  Click here to download this form.  

Click here to see an overview on the State's Grievance Procedure.  

Click here for the link to the Saugerties Assessor's Office.

Click here for a link to see your 2017 assessed value (click on public access).

STAR Program 20th Anniversary!!!

The New York State School Tax Relief (STAR) Program is 20 years old!!!.  The program's intent is to lessen the crushing burden of school property taxes.  Has the program been successful?  Below is a bare bones summary of the program and how it impacts Saugerties taxpayers.  To learn more about STAR, click here.

School Year 2016-2017 - Saugerties School Tax Rate - 20.16782 per $1000 of assessed value

BASIC STAR – Assessed Home Value	School Taxes Before Basic STAR	After Basic STAR	SAVINGS	% Savings
$150,000	$3,025.17	$2,407.23	$617.94	20.4%
$200,000	$4,033.56	$3,415.62	$617.94	15.3%
$300,000	$6,050.35	$5,432.40	$617.95	10.2%
$500,000	$10,083.91	$9,465.97	$617.94	6.1%

Enchanced STAR  Assessed  Home Value	School Taxes Before Enhanced STAR	After Enhanced STAR	SAVINGS	% Savings
$150,000	$3,025.17	$1,676.15	$1,349.02	44.6%
$200,000	$4,033.56	$2,684.54	$1,349.02	33.4%
$300,000	$6,050.35	$4,701.32	$1,349.03	22.3%
$500,000	$10,083.91	$8,734.88	$1,349.02	13.4%

STAR PROGRAM BASICS

BASIC STAR

To qualify for Basic STAR, the property must be the primary residence & the owner(s) must have an income of less than $500,000.

To calculate the STAR benefit, a base amount (for Saugerties, this amount is $30,640) is deducted from the full assessed value of the home.  The reduced assessed value is then multiplied by the School Tax Rate to determine school taxes for a given year.  Per the chart above, Saugerties residents receiving Basic STAR saved $617.94 in school taxes this past year.  This amount is deducted directly from the property tax bill.  Because all qualifiers receive the same monetary benefit, those with lower assessed values received a greater percentage savings.

ENHANCED STAR

To qualify for Enhanced STAR, the property must be a primary residence and at least one owner must be 65 years of age and the combined income of the owner(s) must be less than $86,000.

To calculate the ENHANCED STAR benefit, a base amount ($66,890 in Saugerties) is deducted from the full assessed value of the home. This reduced assessed value is multiplied by the School Tax Rate to determine school taxes for a given year.  Saugerties residents receiving Enhanced STAR saved $1,349.02 in school taxes this past year.  This amount is deducted directly from the property tax bill.

NOTES

• The State reimburses School Districts for STAR benefits.
• If the primary residence was purchased after 8/1/15 - STAR savings will no longer be deducted directly from the property tax bill.  Program participants are sent a check from the State.  Qualifiers who purchased their homes before 8/1/15 will continue to have savings deducted from the property tax bill.
• The savings resulting from the Basic or Enhanced STAR benefits are limited to a 2% increase over the prior year.
• Basic STAR recipients do not need to reapply for the benefit each year unless they change their primary residence.
• Enhanced STAR recipients must reapply for the benefit each year unless they are enrolled in the Income Verification Program, 
• Receiving STAR benefits does not preclude homeowners from qualifying for other property tax exemptions.  

Ulster County Town Supervisor Salaries

Ulster County Town Supervisor Salaries - Per 4/5/17 Daily Freeman Article
	Salary	Population	Per Capita
Denning	$13,500	551	$24.50
Esopus	$32,197	9,041	$3.56
Gardiner	$39,614	5,713	$6.93
Hardenburgh	$18,000	238	$75.63
Hurley	$28,000	6,314	$4.43
T Kingston	$13,362	889	$15.03
Lloyd	$29,995	10,863	$2.76
Marbletown	$45,840	5,607	$8.18
New Paltz	$40,000	14,003	$2.86
Olive	$53,900	4,419	$12.20
Plattekill	$33,733	10,499	$3.21
Rochester	$32,765	7,313	$4.48
Rosendale	$40,000	6,075	$6.58
Saugerties	$35,000	19,482	$1.80
Shandaken	$36,000	3,002	$11.99
Shawangunk	$33,540	14,332	$2.34
Ulster	$44,000	12,327	$3.57
Wawarsing	$42,039	13,157	$3.20
Woodstock	$54,000	5,884	$9.18