Jeanette Wolfberg reports in The Columbia Paper that Hudson's school district tax levy is proposed to be 2.3 percent higher than last year’s, a bit less than the 2.5 percent increase allowed by state law. Superintendent Maria L. Suttmeier said the district can afford the lower tax increase this year that she says, “give[s] something back to the community.” But next year there will be no Italian class in Hudson, since the current teacher is retiring. “What happens to students who are currently in the Italian tract?” board member Charles Parmentier asked. “We’re speaking with the Italian-American Club and also considering distance learning,” Suttmeier said, telling Parmentier it is difficult to find language teachers. “When the University of Albany cut their foreign language department, that hurt us.” Also, the school's pool will be closed for maintenance this summer. Voters cast ballots for or against next year's budget May 21. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.