Schools
School Board Adopts $49.6 Million Budget
New spending plan includes a 1.3 mill tax increase and more than $300,000 in cuts from the original plan.
Editor's Note: This story was updated at 12:11 p.m. Tuesday.
The Peters Township School Board adopted a $49,583,988 budget Monday night for 2011-12, which includes a 1.33 mill tax increase for property owners—setting the new tax at 96.51 mills.
The rate is equal to the allowable state tax index of 1.4 percent. The new budget represents a 1.8 percent increase over the current year, and has cuts of more than $308,000 from the budget originally posted in May.
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Figures released by the administration show that one mill of taxes generates $323,000. For a taxpayer who pays $3,000 in property taxes, the rate of increase will be $42 in additional taxes.
The new budget was approved by an 8-1 vote with board member David Hvizdos casting the dissenting vote.
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He congratulated Superintendent Nina Zetty and the administration for being able to make cuts, but said that the administration should do whatever is necessary to reduce class sizes in the third grades at and elementary schools—even if it means to hire additional teachers.
Hvizdos was also critical of the state budget cuts which have reduced the Peters Township School District allocation by over $900,000, while limiting the district with its ability to raise taxes. He called upon voters to remember the legislators voting for Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget and to “turn them out” in the next election.
The new budget includes $778,426 for technology, and more than $38,000 for curriculum.
Also approved by the board is a new “participation fee” for activities and athletic programs. High school athletic programs will cost $90 per student with a per sport maximum of $215 per year; middle school athletics will be $35 per student and a per sport maximum of $85 per year, band will be $40 per student and activities will be $10 per student per activity.
The new fees will be in place for the beginning of the school year. Booster clubs will be asked to assist with the fees. The board will review the participation fee on a year-by-year basis.
The board also approved a $5 million bond issue, part of which will be used for renovations of the athletic fields at Pleasant Valley Elementary, and heard from numerous parents with concerns about the need for an extra third grade teacher at Pleasant Valley.
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