As annual school tax bills are distributed, the Cohoes City School District is sharing information about this year’s school tax levy and tax rate.
A tax levy is the total amount of money a school district collects through property taxes. For the 2026-27 school year, the district’s tax levy remained unchanged, meaning the district is collecting the same amount of property tax revenue as last year: $18,468,672.
The school district determines the tax levy through the annual budget process. The proposed budget, including the tax levy, is presented to district residents for a public vote each year. The district cannot collect more in taxes than the amount approved by voters.
The tax rate, which is different from the tax levy, is used to calculate school taxes. Although the total amount of taxes collected by the district did not change, the tax rate increased. The tax rate is based on the district’s tax levy and the total taxable assessment.
Tax rates are not finalized until the state certifies local assessment rolls each summer. Once that process is complete, school tax bills are prepared and distributed in September.
FAQ’S
How are school taxes determined each year?
Each year, the Cohoes CSD develops a budget to pay for expenses such as student programs, teachers and staff, transportation, technology and building maintenance.
The budget is funded through several sources, including state aid, federal aid and local property taxes. The portion paid through local property taxes is called the tax levy.
District voters approve the budget and tax levy each May. For the 2026-27 school year, voters approved a $57.1 million budget and a tax levy of $18,468,672. The tax levy remained unchanged from the previous year, resulting in a 0% levy increase.
After the tax levy is approved, it is divided among property owners based on factors such as property assessments and state equalization rates. Because of this, a homeowner’s school tax bill may increase or decrease from year to year, even when the district’s tax levy stays the same.
If the district did not increase the tax levy, why did my tax bill increase?
The tax levy and the tax rate are different.
The tax levy is the total amount of property tax revenue collected by the district. The tax rate is used to calculate individual tax bills.
Although the district’s tax levy remained unchanged for 2026-27, the tax rate increased from $38.59 to approximately $41.13 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The district determines the tax levy through the voter-approved budget process. However, it does not determine property assessments or control the taxable assessment base used to calculate the tax rate.
In addition, some homeowners may notice changes related to New York state’s STAR program. For the 2026-27 tax year, the Basic STAR Exemption decreased from $460 to $412. Because STAR benefits are determined by the state, this change may affect what some homeowners see on their final tax bill.
Simply put, it is possible for:
- The district’s budget to increase;
- The tax levy to remain unchanged; and
- Some homeowners to see higher tax bills
all at the same time.
What role did the Erie Boulevard Hydropower PILOT agreement play in this year’s budget?
The Erie Boulevard Hydropower PILOT agreement increased total PILOT revenue by $745,270 for the 2026-27 school year.
The additional revenue was included as part of the district’s budget planning process, which was presented to the community and approved by voters in May 2026.
Along with other revenue sources, such as state aid, the additional PILOT revenue helped support the district’s 2026-27 budget, allowing the tax levy to remain unchanged.
Supplemental Information
View the May 6, 2026 budget hearing presentation here.
School Tax Factors at a Glance
| 2025-26 | 2026-27 | |
| Tax Levy | $18,468,672 | $18,468,672 |
| Tax Levy Increase | 2% | 0% |
| Tax Rate (per $1,000 assessed value) | $38.59 | $41.13 |
| Tax Rate Increase ($) | $2.54 |
For additional information about school taxes, including tax rates, STAR exemptions and payment information, please visit the district’s website: https://www.cohoes.org/budget-taxes/tax-collection/ or email cohoestaxcollector@cohoes.org.