Scotia district sets hearing on budget By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer First published in print: Friday, April 3, 2009 SCOTIA — Voters will have one final shot in early May to weigh in on a $46.65 million budget that calls for a nearly 3 percent tax rate hike before going to the polls later that month. A public hearing on the budget will be held at 7 p.m. May 6 at the middle school. Under the spending plan approved this week by the Board of Education, the district would raise $25.32 million in taxes. The hearing will be followed by a meet the candidates forum for school board incumbents John Yagielski and Gary Normington. Both are running for a second 2-year term. The projected tax increase in the 2009-2010 spending plan may not be necessary, especially if $1.6 million in state aid is restored, according to district spokesman Robert Hanlon. He said the district has two building projects, for $9.32 million and $2.58 million respectively, that will be covered mostly by state aid and about $450,000 in debt reserve account, which must pass muster with voters. The $9.32 million project includes repairs to the roof and track and upgrades at the high school. The smaller one calls for reconstructing the middle school library. The Glenville tax rate is now $20.20 per $1,000 of assessed valuation; for a house assessed at $160,000, school taxes are $3,232 per year before the state's school tax reduction (STAR). School taxes would rise by $96 to $3,328 with the projected nearly 3 percent tax rate hike. A proposal to purchase five 65-passenger buses would cost $474,480. The money would be repaid over five years beginning in the 2010-2011 school year. State aid would cover about 75 percent of the cost with the district picking up the remainder, about $130,011, according to the district's Web site. The budget vote will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 19 at the high school.