Albany City School District board adopts 2025–26 tax warrant; overall levy rises about 1.13%

The Albany City School District Board of Education unanimously approved the district's 2025'526 tax warrant during a public meeting, and district staff presented the levy breakdown, estimated homeowner effects and payment options.

District presenter Mr. Karas told the board the votersapproved budget sets the 2025 levy. He reported the school portion of the levy rose by about 0.9 percent, an increase the presentation quantified at roughly $1,100,000; the library levy increased about 4.12 percent, or roughly $390,000. Together, the district will collect approximately $133,317,006.54 for 2025'526, an overall increase the presenter gave as about $1,491,006.69, or about a 1.13 percent rise in total levy collections.

Karas said that despite the levy increase, the school tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value is projected to fall slightly because of reassessments and higher total assessed value. He showed comparisons using an assessed value of $236,000 (derived from previous base assumptions adjusted for recent reassessment) and said that the school-only tax for that example would fall from $3,390.67 in 2024 to $3,003.39 in 2025 (a decline Karas described as roughly $47 or about 1.3 percent when combined with the library levy changes).

Karas also reviewed taxpayer-facing details: STAR (School Tax Relief) amounts were listed at $30,000 for Basic STAR and $86,100 for Enhanced STAR; tax bills would be mailed August 31; payments are due during September with penalties beginning October 1 (3 percent through October, rising to 4 percent after November 1 through November 15). He said unpaid bills after November 15 would be turned over to the Albany County Division of Finance and the district would stop collecting those accounts. Senior taxpayers accepted an installment plan with payments spread through Feb. 28, 2026; unpaid senior installment balances after that date would be turned over to the county.

On payment logistics, Karas said the district will again offer in-person payments at the Harry Gibbons Student Center, 75 Wardle Ave., on Fridays from Sept. 5 through Nov. 15, noonto5 p.m., and will provide paper receipts. He said last year about 120 taxpayers used the in-person receipt option. Other options discussed included mail (City School District of Albany, PO Box 15133); drop-off at KeyBank, 66 South Pearl St. (no receipt issued at the bank); and online payments with credit card fees (3.5 percent of the tax bill, minimum $2.25) or e-checks (flat $4.95 up to $24.99, then 0.5 percent for larger e-checks, with an e-check maximum of $25,000).

Board members asked for additional transparency around the citycertified tax rolls and the specific tax-rule inputs that the city uses when it runs its tax bills. Karas said city figures can change late in the cycle as assessments and petitions are finalized and offered to post the tax rules that were submitted to the district; he described the citydistrict timing as fluid and noted the district typically sets a hard date to generate the warrant (he said the district's calculation was prepared around Aug. 11 and was recalculated multiple times as city data changed).

After discussion, board member Miss Savage moved to approve the 2025 tax warrant; Miss Wilson seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

The board then moved on to other agenda items.