The evening of 2024-04-23 was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education (BoE).
The Board adopted the Proposed Budget of ~$61 million.
This is essentially the same budget that was discussed last meeting. There were some adjustments, but this felt more like shuffling chairs then substantial. For example, a particular business (name unsaid) is no longer paying a PILOT. Instead they will be paying property taxes. While the exact dollar amount this business pays may change, I would be surprised if it was substantially different then before. And thus the tax impact on the rest of us should be minimal (or I could be wrong).
Accordingly, the Tax Levy increase will be 3.07%, which is the limit this year. This is where I mention that in New York, the 2% limit never actually equals 2%. Although it can get pretty close, I recall some 1.9ish% years.
I will applaud Colin (Business) on his presentation tonight. While he didn’t go into all the details of the tax cap formula, he did a good job summarizing the many pieces involved. None of which the District has any control over.
I think it’s a shame the formula is as complex as it is. I’m a fan of simple, especially when it comes to government. Makes it easy to explain and thus helps people feel the system is transparent. While I’m sure the creators of this formula thought it did the job well, at this point I think it makes the whole situation needlessly obtuse and confuses more then helps.
As an aside, and while I’m don’t think I’m a fan of any tax, I think property tax may be the worst of them. I can control the income, sales, etc taxes I pay. At least to a point (work less, buy less, etc). But there is relatively little I can do about my house. I can downsize to some extent, but that only lessens the issue. To say nothing of the other complications moving can bring.
I completely acknowledge changing the system we have would not be an easy task. But I think, long term, we would all be better off if property tax went away. At least for single family residences. If nothing else, it would create a giant incentive to solve the ‘housing crisis‘. But that’s enough of a tangent here.
There was also a Workshop on ‘Pathways to Graduation‘. Apparently the State is creating more methods (called ‘Pathways‘) to get the same diploma. Maybe I’m just being cynical (this was after the budget/tax presentation), but this feels like additional complication for negligible benefit.
If I heard right, this could be summarized as adding a giant ‘OR’ to the graduation system.
Students could continue as they have in the past, which would have them graduate with either Humanities or STEM ‘Pathway’ (depending on the details). For example, if I was to apply the new system to my course load when I was a student here, I think I would have gotten a STEM Pathway.
‘OR’ students could essentially trade flexibility on electives for a more focused theme. In other words, fill the electives with Art, Language, etc. Which I’m sure still happened in the past, I know a few who would have qualified for the new Language Pathway. So the more things change, the more they stay the same?
Although, it did feel like this method is somewhat exploitable. The measurement seems to be based off tests, both scores and number of them. NOT the level of the course. So, hypothetically, a student taking (and passing) AP exams could get a ‘worse’ diploma then one who received higher test scores for easier courses. Or not. This was an overview and the devil is ever in the details.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the April 23, 2024 meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education.
Agenda’s and similar information can be found at HFL’s BoardDocs page. While a recording will likely be available soon.