Colton-Pierrepont eyes 6.9% property tax hike

COLTON — The Colton-Pierrepont Central School District is in the final stages of drafting a $9.4 million budget for 2010-11 that calls for a 6.9 percent property tax increase, a reduced number of bus runs and a cut of two positions, according to Superintendent Martin J. Bregg.

Mr. Bregg said the tentative budget has a $140,000 or 1.5 percent increase in appropriations over 2009-10, but the tax levy would increase more because of a $275,000 reduction in state aid.

The district raised $5.9 million from property taxes in 2009-10.

Because Colton-Pierrepont is considered a wealthy district by the state, a large portion of the budget is raised by property taxes — 64.8 percent this year. That compares with 31.2 percent in Parishville-Hopkinton, 15 percent in Edwards-Knox and 38.5 percent in Potsdam.

Mr. Bregg said the district is eliminating a half-time music position and a part-time business office worker. He said it also will reduce the number of bus runs by one route.

With the budget picture not expected to improve next year, Mr. Bregg said, school officials are making bigger structural changes to save money. He said the district is considering eliminating the elementary principal's position in the 2011-12 year and having just a superintendent and a kindergarten through grade 12 administrator.

"Not for this year, but going a year down the road we're looking at a retirement of the elementary school principal, so we are looking at some restructuring there," Mr. Bregg said. "We're looking at possibly going with a K through 12 principal and disseminating out the duties of the elementary principal to the people that are in house."

Mr. Bregg said officials will attempt to trim more from the proposed spending plan.

"We may be able to knock off a few more thousand and maybe get it down to about 6 percent on the tax levy," he said.