New York State Property Tax Report Card
Property Tax Report Card is due by COB of the next business day after approval by trustees, but no later than April 27, 2015
NEW FOR 2015-16
Both the School District Budget Notice and the Property Tax Report Card have been significantly revised this year to more closely align both forms with each other and the Tax Cap Form filed with the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). The order of entries are now consistent with the Tax Cap calculations and break apart each component piece of the total tax levy being presented to voters. It is important to note that the new form does not require additional data elements or calculations, but makes the previous steps more transparent for both school business officials completing the form and the voters seeking to understand the process.
We have observed two issues in accurately calculating whether a district’s proposed levy is subject to the statutory requirement to achieve a 60% or greater vote to be approved.
- The handling of separate propositions:
- Propositions for capital expenditures, including transportation, are excluded under the cap just as they would be under the general budget itself, allowing districts to raise their allowable tax levy limit to account for these costs.
- Propositions for educational programs or additional transportation services are not excluded under the cap, just as they would not be under the general budget itself. Districts must fit these costs and their associated levy under their tax levy limit.
- The levy for these non-excludable propositions was to be included in the Total Proposed Year Tax Levy previously. However, to make it explicit, it is now a separate line in the form that will be automatically added into the total levy.
- As the OSC Tax Cap Form does not have a separate line for these non-excludable propositions, be sure to include the levy required for them in the Proposed Levy, Net of Reserve line on that form.
- The comparison between the proposed tax levy and the calculated tax levy limit to determine the need for a 60% approval:
- Due to regulatory requirements, the Property Tax Report Card and the Budget Notice compare the Total Proposed Tax Levy without Exclusions to the Tax Levy Limit without Exclusions. The OSC Tax Cap form compares the Proposed Levy plus Exclusions to the Tax Levy Limit including Exclusions. While both calculations result in the same determination of the required level of affirmative vote, it can lead to miscalculations between the forms.
For a graphic representation of the changes, please see the crosswalk diagram.
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Chapter 97 of the Laws of 2011 requires school districts to report data elements necessary to calculate a Property Tax Levy Limit and amends requirements concerning reporting elements on the Property Tax Report Card. Required reporting elements from the tax levy limit calculation include:
- tax levy limit (without including the levy for permissible exclusions from the tax levy limit)
- permissible exclusions from the tax levy limit
- proposed tax levy (not including the levy for permissible exclusions from the tax levy limit), and
- total proposed tax levy (including any proposed levy above the tax levy limit and the levy for permissible exclusions from the tax levy limit).
Each of these elements is discussed in greater detail below. Please see Educational Management Services for additional guidance.
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Note: Any quantitative changes to these tax levy limit data elements prior to the statewide voting day should be amended both in this form and the Real Property Tax Form filed with the Office of the State Comptroller. 
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Subdivision 7 of Section 1608 and Sections 1716(7), and 2601-a (3) of the Education Law require that each year, commencing with the proposed budget for the two thousand-two thousand one school year, the trustee or board of trustees shall prepare a property tax report card, pursuant to regulations of the commissioner, and shall make it publicly available by transmitting it to local newspapers of general circulation, appending it to copies of the proposed budget made publicly available as required by law, making it available for distribution at the annual meeting, and otherwise disseminating it as required by the commissioner. Such report card shall include:
- the amount of total spending and total estimated school tax levy that would result from adoption of the proposed budget and the percentage increase or decrease in total spending and total school tax levy from the school district budget for the preceding school year, and
- the district’s tax levy limit determined pursuant to section two thousand twenty-three-a of this title, and the estimated school tax levy, excluding any levy necessary to support the expenditures pursuant to subparagraphs (i) through (iv) of paragraph i of subdivision two of section two thousand twenty-three-a of this title, that would result from adoption of the proposed budget; and
- the projected enrollment growth for the school year for which the budget is prepared, and the percentage change in enrollment from the previous year; and
- the percentage increase in the consumer price index, from January first of the prior school year to January first of the current school year. A copy of the property tax report card prepared for the annual district meeting shall be submitted to the department in the manner prescribed by the department by the end of the business day next following approval of the report card by the trustee or board of trustees, but no later than twenty-four days prior to the statewide uniform voting day. The department shall compile such data for all school districts whose budgets are subject to the vote of the qualified voters and shall make such compilation available electronically at least ten days prior to the statewide uniform voting day.
- the estimated amount of the appropriated fund balance, the reserved fund balance, and the retained unreserved, unappropriated (undesignated) fund balance and its percentage of the total proposed budget, and the actual amount and percentage of the unappropriated, unreserved fund balance retained in the previous year.
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Special Note: Please submit an electronic version (Word or PDF) of your completed Budget Notice to: emscmgts@nysed.gov
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Data Elements on the Property Tax Report Card
TOTAL BUDGETED AMOUNT, NOT INCLUDING SEPARATE PROPOSITIONS:
The amount of total spending included in the budget, as defined in Section 1608 of the education law, as amended by section 111 of chapter 474 of the laws of 1996 and the closing paragraph as added by section 157 of chapter 474 of the laws of 1996. Such amount shall not include any separate propositions.
A.) PROPOSED TAX LEVY TO SUPPORT THE TOTAL BUDGETED AMOUNT, NET OF RESERVE:
Represents the levy necessary to support General Fund expenditures. Include any prior year reserve for excess tax levy, including interest. As shown on the Office of the State Comptroller Real Property Tax Calculation Form as:
- 2015 Proposed Levy, Net of Reserve
For 2014-15, report the actual levy for school purposes authorized by the trustee, board of trustees or board of education.
B.) TAX LEVY TO SUPPORT LIBRARY DEBT, IF APPLICABLE:
District must enter this amount, if applicable.
C.) TAX LEVY FOR NON-EXCLUDABLE PROPOSITIONS, IF APPLICABLE:
Tax Levy associated with educational or transportation services propositions are not eligible for exclusion and may affect voter approval requirements.
D.) TOTAL TAX CAP RESERVE AMOUNT USED TO REDUCE CURRENT YEAR LEVY, IF APPLICABLE:
District must enter this excess reserve amount, including accrued interest, if applicable. As shown on the Office of the State Comptroller Real Property Tax Calculation Form as:
- Total Tax Cap Reserve Amount Used to Reduce 2016 Levy
E.) TOTAL PROPOSED SCHOOL YEAR TAX LEVY (A + B + C - D):
The form will automatically calculate the sum of these items. It should also equal the sum of the two amounts calculated on the Office of the State Comptroller Real Property Tax Calculation shown as:
- Total Tax Cap Reserve Amount Used to Reduce 2015 Levy, and
- 2015 Proposed Levy, Net of Reserve
For 2014-15, report the actual levy for school purposes authorized by the trustee, board of trustees or board of education.
The amount under Contingency Budget for the 2015-16 School Year must equal the 2014-15 Total School Year Tax Levy. If no budget is approved at the initial vote or upon re-vote, the Contingency Budget may not include a levy higher than the prior year’s levy (0% levy growth.)
F.) PERMISSIBLE EXCLUSIONS TO THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY LIMIT:
As calculated on the Office of the State Comptroller Real Property Tax Calculation Form and shown as:
- Total Exclusions
G.) SCHOOL TAX LEVY LIMIT, EXCLUDING LEVY FOR PERMISSIBLE EXCLUSIONS:
As calculated by the Office of the State Comptroller Real Property Tax Calculation Form and shown as:
- Total Levy Limit Before Adjustments/Exclusions
H.) TOTAL PROPOSED SCHOOL YEAR TAX LEVY, EXCLUDING LEVY TO SUPPORT LIBRARY DEBT AND/OR LEVY FOR PERMISSIBLE EXCLUSIONS (E – B - F + D):
The form will automatically calculate.
I.) DIFFERENCE (G-H); NEGATIVE VALUE REQUIRES 60.0% VOTER APPROVAL:
The form will automatically calculate the difference between the Tax Levy Limit, Excluding Levy for Permissible Exclusions (Line G) and the Total Proposed School Year Tax Levy, Excluding Levy to Support Library Debt and/or Levy for Permissible Exclusions (Line H.) If the proposed levy is higher than the tax levy limit, resulting in a negative remainder, the budget needs to be approved by 60 percent or more of the eligible voters at the time of the vote.
Note: Separate propositions for educational programs or additional transportation services are subject to the property tax limit and the tax levy associated with such propositions must be included on Line C.) when determining the level of voter approval necessary for approval of the budget and the separate propositions.
PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT:
Enrollment of pupils as defined in subparagraph two of paragraph n of subdivision one of section 3602 of the education law. Pursuant to section 2856 of the education law, resident charter school pupils also should be included in the enrollment reported on the property tax report card. Do not include enrollment of pupils in pre-Kindergarten.
"Public school district enrollment" shall mean the sum of the number of children:
- on a regular enrollment register of a public school district on the date which enrollment for BEDS purposes is taken;
- eligible to receive home instruction in the school district on such date;
- for whom equivalent attendance must be computed pursuant to this subdivision on such date;
- with handicapping conditions who are residents of such district who are registered on such date to attend programs under the provisions of paragraph c of subdivision two of section forty-four hundred one of this chapter;
- eligible to receive educational services on such date but not claimed for aid pursuant to subdivision seven of section thirty-two hundred two of this chapter; and
- registered on such date to attend programs
- pursuant to subdivision two of section three hundred fifty-five of this chapter, or
- pursuant to an agreement between the city school district of the city of New York and Hunter College pursuant to section sixty-two hundred sixteen of this chapter.
FUND BALANCES:
For the 2015-16 Property Tax Report Card, report actual 2014-15 balances based upon the June 30, 2014 ending fund balance and estimated June 30, 2015 balances for the proposed 2015-16 budget year, as approved by the Board of Education.
Actual fund balances reported for 2014-15 are determined as follows:
Adjusted Restricted Fund Balance: Final June 30, 2014 amount, as reduced or increased, if applicable, after the adoption by the Board of Education of the estimated balance on the 2014-15 Property Tax Report Card.
Assigned Appropriated Fund Balance: The actual amount listed on the tax warrant (August 2014).
Adjusted Unrestricted Fund Balance: The final amount retained as of June 30, 2014.
Estimated fund balances reported for 2015-16 are as of the time of School Budget and Property Tax Report Card preparation:
Adjusted Restricted Fund Balance: The estimated June 30, 2015 final balance, which will be the 2015-16 school year beginning balance.
Assigned Appropriated Fund Balance: the amount estimated for subsequent school years’ taxes.
Adjusted Unrestricted Fund Balance: The estimated final amount to be retained as of June 30, 2015. This is the fund balance amount that is limited by law to no more than 4% of the estimated total 2015-16 budget; however, during the year it may be used to increase reserves or be appropriated for unanticipated ordinary contingent expenses.
The data collection form is submitted via SAMS (State Aid Management System) on the NYSED Application Business Portal and contains revised fields to collect this data.
Property Tax Report Card is due by COB of the next business day after approval by trustees, but no later than April 27, 2015.
If you have questions about the 2015-16 Property Tax Report Card form, please contact Stephen McNally in the Office of Educational Management Services at (518) 474-6541 or by email.