We all have to pay taxes, a fact of life. The taxes significant to property owners in Clinton are County/Town Taxes and School Taxes.

Our County/Town Taxes are paid at the same rate throughout Clinton. For example, the Town Tax rate per $1000 of assessed value of your land is 2.011339, wherever you live in Clinton. Hence if the Assessed Value of your property is $500,000 then the Tax Amount would be $500,000 divided by $1000, multiplied by 2.011339, equals $1005.67.

The amount paid in School Taxes, however, depends on what school district your property falls within. Each of the four school districts serving the Town of Clinton have different rates of taxation, covering quite a range per $1000 of assessed value.

It is a common misconception among most people to believe that increasing our Town's population would lessen the tax burden on each of us. According to Robert McKeon, who spoke at the Town Board meeting on March 14th, "The latest cost of community services studies show that for every dollar contributed in taxes by residential development, two dollars in services are needed. In other words, new homes contribute less than half of what they require in services.

 In the long run, studies have found, it is 20 times cheaper for a community to preserve open land than to develop it." As we confront ever rising costs in our community, these are important words to consider.

Written by Blanche Rubin