Tioga Central School District Proposes Tax Increase

The Tioga Central School District proposed yesterday a 30 percent tax levy for the 2015-2016 school year. The increase is the result of rising pension and healthcare costs that have forced the school board to dig deep into its reserve funds for the better part of a decade. The budget shortfalls have been agitated by a lack of state funding, according to district leaders. The school board is scheduled to finalize the details of the proposed budget by April 20. Even with the proposed tax levy, the district will need to reevaluate its financial situation in the next few years. During a budget presentation at yesterday’s board meeting, the superintendent said the district’s reserve funds will be completely depleted by 2020, even with the proposed tax increase. If that happens, the school district would have to borrow money to pay the bills.