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Weekend in review
Aug 26, 2013 7:01 am
Some of the stories that made the news, Aug. 23 to Aug. 26, 2013:
Ariél Zangla reported in the Daily Freeman the Greene County Legislature voted last week to allow the collection of the four percent local sales tax to continue for the next two years. Under state law, counties are permitted to impose a three percent local sales tax in addition to the four percent imposed by New York state. To increase the local sales tax beyond three percent, approval from the state is required. Greene County’s request to continue imposing the additional one percent sales tax was granted by the state Legislature and signed by the governor last week. The county's four percent local sales tax has been in effect since 1993. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
Joe Gentile reported in the Register Star the Germantown Central School District Board of Education voted last week to decrease the district's 2013-14 tax levy to zero percent, after being advised the district had substantially over-budgeted the previous school year. The district’s budget for the coming year eliminated two full-time teachers, and a part-time employee in the nurse’s office. Both teaching positions were abolished through attrition. Outgoing Superintendent Patrick Gabriel said last spring the board underestimated revenue when doing its calculations during the budgeting process. Gabriel said, “We had no idea the revenue was going to be restored the way it was." Read the full story in the Register Star.
Emilia Teasdale reported in the Columbia Paper the Valatie Planning Board has approved plans for eight cottages to be built on Route 203 in front of the Paul Raihofer Senior Village Apartments. The development, called the Valtucket Cottage Community, will be sold by developer Jason Nastke (NAST-key) to seniors 55 and older. The cottages will range in size from 800 to 1,000 square feet, and be built on less than an acre of land. Naske is still awaiting approval from the county Health Department to connect the houses to the village water system. The board approved the project, but if the developer does not complete the work in three years, he will have to come back to the board. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.
News surfaced Fri., Aug. 23, the Columbia-Greene Partnership Academy, an alternative learning center to be located in Hudson, has hit a legal roadblock, causing school officials to reconsider their limited options with little more than a week before the first day of school. Under state law, voter approval would be required for alternative learning students to be placed in the program, Berkshire Union Free School District Superintendent Bruce Potter said Friday. Potter also confirmed the legislation authorizing Berkshire to operate the program on Warren Street has yet to be sent to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for signature, leaving the district without the requisite authority to operate the program at that location. Read the full story at unmuffled.
Ariél Zangla reported in the Daily Freeman the Greene County Legislature voted last week to allow the collection of the four percent local sales tax to continue for the next two years. Under state law, counties are permitted to impose a three percent local sales tax in addition to the four percent imposed by New York state. To increase the local sales tax beyond three percent, approval from the state is required. Greene County’s request to continue imposing the additional one percent sales tax was granted by the state Legislature and signed by the governor last week. The county's four percent local sales tax has been in effect since 1993. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.
Joe Gentile reported in the Register Star the Germantown Central School District Board of Education voted last week to decrease the district's 2013-14 tax levy to zero percent, after being advised the district had substantially over-budgeted the previous school year. The district’s budget for the coming year eliminated two full-time teachers, and a part-time employee in the nurse’s office. Both teaching positions were abolished through attrition. Outgoing Superintendent Patrick Gabriel said last spring the board underestimated revenue when doing its calculations during the budgeting process. Gabriel said, “We had no idea the revenue was going to be restored the way it was." Read the full story in the Register Star.
Emilia Teasdale reported in the Columbia Paper the Valatie Planning Board has approved plans for eight cottages to be built on Route 203 in front of the Paul Raihofer Senior Village Apartments. The development, called the Valtucket Cottage Community, will be sold by developer Jason Nastke (NAST-key) to seniors 55 and older. The cottages will range in size from 800 to 1,000 square feet, and be built on less than an acre of land. Naske is still awaiting approval from the county Health Department to connect the houses to the village water system. The board approved the project, but if the developer does not complete the work in three years, he will have to come back to the board. Read the full story in the Columbia Paper.
News surfaced Fri., Aug. 23, the Columbia-Greene Partnership Academy, an alternative learning center to be located in Hudson, has hit a legal roadblock, causing school officials to reconsider their limited options with little more than a week before the first day of school. Under state law, voter approval would be required for alternative learning students to be placed in the program, Berkshire Union Free School District Superintendent Bruce Potter said Friday. Potter also confirmed the legislation authorizing Berkshire to operate the program on Warren Street has yet to be sent to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for signature, leaving the district without the requisite authority to operate the program at that location. Read the full story at unmuffled.