Wednesday's story in the Watertown Daily Times reported a 6.7 percent increase in the tax levy for the 2008-09 budget at Thousand Islands Central School District.

The story, however, did not explain the components of that 6.7 percent increase. For those who paid property taxes in 2007-08, the levy is going up 3.99 percent. The rest of the 6.7 percent is to be generated from properties which were not on the tax roll in 2007-08 and therefore paid no taxes. The most notable of these parcels is the Clayton 801 housing complex which was added to the tax roll in February 2008.

Clayton's new assessor also found $11 million worth of property which had not been taxed in 2007-08. Had these parcels paid their fair share this year, the levy increase for next year would be a maximum of 3.99 percent.

Drawing the conclusion that Thousand Islands property owners will be paying 6.7 percent more next year is misleading. An increase of 3.99 percent in the levy will be borne by current taxpayers. The 2.78 percent remaining is directly attributable to properties just added to the tax roll. These calculations do not take into consideration Clayton's revaluation recently completed.

John E. Slattery

Clayton

The writer is superintendent of the Thousand Islands Central School District.