∫ CHEERS — To Gloversville High School senior Michelle Millett for her winning poster for the New York state Kids Safe Online contest. Millett was one of 850 students statewide from 125 schools who entered the contest. Her poster was one of 12 selected as a winner. Her winning poster will be featured in the 2019 New York state Kids safe Online calendar, along with the 11 other winners. It is always good when one of our communities’ residents make a difference in the world and Millett’s poster warning others to protect their identity online is sure to do that. Congratulations Michelle!
∫ CHEERS — To all the special guests who participated in the Read Across America event at Kingsborough Elementary School. The nationwide event helps foster a love for reading and teaching a child that love early is especially important. While it doesn’t seem like a big deal to read to school children, it is. Children notice everything and if you are a person who is not accustomed to reading aloud, much less aloud in front of a class of elementary students, the experience can be very daunting. Thank you for you time and for your participation.
∫ JEERS — To the state of New York for setting the Greater Johnstown School District’s tax cap at negative 2.5 percent for the 2018-19 budget year.
The state’s calculations for the tax cap take into account reimbursements for a capital project. The state aid for the project will begin coming in before the payments for the project starts, leading to the calculation going into the negative.
This move means that GJSD will need to override its tax cap to even meet a zero percent tax rate increase.
We propose the state should simply send the payments later, instead of starting GJSD off in the negative.
