Your school tax bill and tax rate are determined each summer by combining three factors, only one of which is set by the school district:

1. Local school tax levy. This is the one factor controlled by the school district. The tax levy is the total amount of money raised for the school district through local property taxes – $107.1 million for in the 2011-12 budget (see highlighted column below).

2. New York State STAR aid. The School Tax Relief Program provides property-tax exemptions for homeowners (see more information below).

3. Changes in assessments between residential and business properties. Each summer, the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services finalizes the percentages of local taxes to be paid by homeowners and business owners. This is the final factor in determining the school tax rate. Once this information is received during the summer, the Board of Education sets the final tax rate, which determines how much of the total tax levy each property owner must pay. Regardless of how the tax levy is shared between residential and business properties, the district receives only the amount of money in the tax levy approved by the voters. In 2011, voters approved a zero tax levy, meaning the total amount of tax dolalrs collected for schools will remain the same as 2010, or about $107.1 million.

When you receive your school tax bill in late summer, there also is a public library tax included. However, the school district is only acting as tax collector for the public library and has no governing authority or decision-making role related to the Albany Public Library. If you have any questions about this portion of your tax bill, please call the public library at 427-4344.

Tax history

Tax year	School district tax levy	School district tax levy % change from previous year **	Tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value	Tax rate % change from previous year **
2011	$107,113,370	0	TBD summer 2011	TBD summer 2011
2010	$107,113,370	3.87%	$19.23 (residential) $24.32 (business)	9.3% -1.9%
2009	$103,125,848	2.55%	$17.59 (residential) $24.79 (business)	7.9% 1.1%
2008	$100,561,391	2.49%	$16.30 (residential) $24.53 (business)	5.9% -2.0%
2007	$98,116,752	2.66%	$15.39 (residential) $ 25.05 (business)	-37.1% -19.0% (reassessment year)
2006	$95,573,452	5.92%	$24.47 (residential) $30.93 (business)	7.1% 6.5%
2005	$90,234,247	2.82%	$22.85 (residential) $29.05 (business)	3.9% 6.4%
2004	$87,762,945	5.83%	$22.00 (residential) $27.30 (business)	5.9% 10.7%
2003	$82,927,250	5.17%	$20.78 (residential) $24.67 (business)	-5.10% -12.1% (reassessment year)
2002	$78,853,042	7.92%	$21.84 (residential) $28.07 (business)	8.2% 7.9%
2001	$73,063,290	0.93%	$20.18 (residential) $26.91 (business)	4.5% -3.3%

** The school district controls only the tax levy, highlighted in yellow above. The tax rate also factors in changes in state STAR aid and property assessments in the city, factors outside of the school district's control.

 

STAR savings
Homeowners can receive tax exemptions under the New York State School Tax Relief (STAR) program. Your tax bill shows the total amount you are exempt from paying under STAR. The state reimburses schools for taxes that residents are exempt from paying.

There are two types of STAR exemptions:

1. Enhanced STAR: Senior citizens age 65 and older with an annual household income of less than $79,050 in the 2009 tax year can receive an approximate $50,000 exemption on the assessed value of their home in 2011.

2. Basic STAR: For all other homeowners, this means approximately $30,000 of your home's full-property value will be exempt from school taxes.

To receive the STAR benefit, you must fill out an application with the city assessor's office. Contact the city assessor at 434-5155 for more information.

 

Please note: STAR does not add new money to school tax coffers or result in the loss of tax dollars. New York State reimburses Albany dollar-for dollar for the tax relief it provides district homeowners.