Results for Croton-Harmon School Bond Vote

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — Voters in the Croton-Harmon school district approved a $20.8 million bond proposition by a vote of:

• Yes — 465
• No — 152

The $20,820,000 proposition is not expected to raise property taxes, according to the Board of Education, because the district is retiring existing debt. The new debt service associated with the proposed bond referendum will essentially replace the older debt service which is being retired. Due in part to current low interest rates, it is anticipated that the new debt service will be approximately $1.6 million; the old debt service was $3.2 million.

Due to these factors, and because New York's state school aid program would reimburse the district for about 41 percent of the capital projects' cost, approval of a $20.82 million bond would not raise taxes for residents, officials said.

The work would be complete by 2021.

The projects cover about half the work identified in the district's ongoing Five Year Plan, looking at the aging infrastructure, state mandates and an evolving educational program, district officials said. Doing all that work would cost about twice as much.

What's in the plan includes some system-wide repair and renovation, including heating, ventilation, air-conditioning systems, parking lots and pathways, septic systems and the creation of modern learning spaces; replacing walls and exterior windows at Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School; an innovation and design lab at Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School; and replacing the Croton Harmon High School fire alarm system.

The comprehensive facilities plan covers the district's three schools, plus the main office and transportation facility.

The district community includes the village of Croton-on-Hudson, and parts of the towns of Yorktown, Cortlandt and Ossining.

PHOTO: District officials discuss the plan with residents/ contributed