TRR photo by Mary Greene Children line up to partake in sledding on the Homestead’s icy hill before school begins. (Click for full story)

ECS eyeing another lopsided tax levy

By DAVID HULSE

ELDRED — With state assessment equalization numbers foreshadowing another shift in school district taxes this fall, Eldred Central School officials last week made another effort to equalize the tax load in its two major component towns.

School officials said they were trying to avert a likely 20 percent or more shift of school tax levies into the Town of Highland.

As it did last year, the Board of Education last Thursday approved a certified taxing district composed of the towns of Highland and Lumberland. The certification affirms the district’s belief that the two towns’ assessment rolls are fairly drawn to the state’s required 100 percent valuation standard. Acceptance by state officials would mean that properties in the two, roughly like-sized towns would have the same tax rate for upcoming 2001-02 school year taxes.

The problem is that state officials, who denied the certification last year, have made indications that they are likely to again uphold the criteria in setting values for large hydroelectric properties, which defeated that certification.