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Letter To The Editor: Ask Questions About Putnam Valley School Budget

PUTNAM VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Putnam Daily Voice accepts signed and original letters to the editor up to 350 words. To submit your letter, email putnam@dailyvoice.com.

Send your letters to the editor to putnam@dailyvoice.com.

Send your letters to the editor to putnam@dailyvoice.com.

Photo Credit: Jen Paluzzi

To the editor:

Putnam Valley's 2016/17 School Budget as of March 21, 2016, the Putnam Valley Central School District revised their proposed budget for the 2016-2017 school yearThe revised budget is $157,657 less than the 2015-2016 budget. 

Good news is there is no increase in our tax levy. The tax levy remains the same as last year $35,944,964 of the $47,818,262 budget. Salaries increased by $623,785, some of the increases are contractual. 

The proposed budget will be voted on by the School Board on Thursday April 7, 2016. I strongly urge you to attend the April 7 meeting and or reach out and ask a few questions to Dr Fran Wills, Superintendent at fwills@pvcsd.org, and Jill Figarella, Treasurer at jfigarella@pvcsd.org :

  • According to Jill, the treasurer, there should be a 3 percent or 1.4 million surplus from 2015-2016 budget, where will this be applied to? 
  • If my, Dan Vera’s, petition to overturn the referendum vote from December 8 fails, will this surplus go into the new Capital Improvement Reserve account? 
  • Why couldn't this 1.4 million surplus be applied to the tax levy and lessen the burden on the taxpayers of Putnam Valley? 
  • Although this proposed budget for 2016/17 is less than last year’s budget, what is the contingent budget in the event the budget is voted down? 
  • Will the increased State Aid announced April 1 be included in a revised budget before it goes out to vote May 17? (Putnam Valley is slated to receive an additional $741, 613 in aid or a 7 percent hike over the current school year) 
  • If PVCSD receives the increase in state aid why can't our tax levy be decreased by the same amount? 

These are important questions, if we all take the time to address these questions to the School Board, Dr. Wills and Ms. Figarella, it will send a message that the residents of Putnam Valley are paying attention. 

-Dan Vera Putnam Valley’s Taxpayer Advocate

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