Aliya Schneider reports for Columbia-Greene Media that the 2021-22 maximum tax levy increase for residents of the Hudson school district is 1.56 percent, Jonathan Boehme, district business administrator, said at a budget workshop April 13. Budget committee members Willette Jones and Carrie Otty want to reduce the increase to 1.35 percent, however, Boehme said. The tax levy increase for the 2020-21 school year was more than 2.7 percent, Superintendent Maria Suttmeier said. But Boehme is arguing that cutting the tax levy this year could result in higher tax levy increases in the future.“We’d like to do our part for taxpayers but also not put ourselves at risk,” he said. In one potential scenario, the levy increase could climb to 15 percent in the future. Suttmeier said a 15 percent jump in the tax levy is not an exaggeration. The district wants to give what it can but not so much it could cause a spike in the future, she said. Boehme surveyed the board members for their thoughts on the tax levy. Sage Carter said she is comfortable with 1.35 percent, but not more. Linda Hopkins agreed with Carter. “If we can do it, this is a year to go lowest,” she said. Lucinda Segar also said she is comfortable with the levy and is grateful for state aid to the district. The tax levy is the lowest Suttmeier and Hopkins remember, they said. “We’ve been above 2 percent pretty significantly for awhile,” Assistant Superintendent for School Improvement April Prestipino said. Boehme did not immediately respond to requests for clarifications on the details. Suttmeier will present an education plan on April 20 based on the tax levy, she said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.