UTICA — The North Fork school district is asking voters to renew a 1 percent earned income tax levy to pay for the day-to-day expenses of the schools. For every $10,000 of earned income, the cost of this levy is $100.
The earned income tax does not apply to Social Security, disability or survivor benefits, welfare benefits, child support, workers’ compensation, interest income dividends, capital gains or rental income. People who work in the school district but reside elsewhere are not subject to the tax.
Superintendent Scott Hartley said the tax generates about $1.5 million which is used to pay for things like staff salaries and benefits, fuel and utilities. If renewed, the levy will be in effect for a continuing period of time. Hartley said that is desirable for two reason: The school board doesn’t have to keep going back to ask voters to renew the levy; and the district would save the cost of placing the issue on the ballot.
“That’s about $15,000 which could be going back into the classrooms,” Hartley said.
The North Fork district is still in Fiscal Caution despite cuts in expenditures of more than $2 million and passage of the levy will help ease that status, Hartley said. “We’re living on what the voters have given us, he said. “Passage of the levy will help us maintain the status quo.”
Contact Pamela Schehl
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