Frazier school board votes to raise taxes for sixth straight year
PERRYOPOLIS — Taxes will again increase for property owners in the Frazier School District after the school board approved an operational budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
School directors Monday adopted an $18 million general fund budget for 2018-19 and agreed to raise the district tax rate by 0.6154 mills to help reduce a deficit in the budget.
The district raised the tax rate by 3.4 percent, the maximum allowed by the state Act 1 index. The millage rate was set at 18.715 mills.
For property owners, this means an increase of $30.75 for a property assessed at $50,000, and $61.50 for a property assessed at $100,000.
The budget adoption and tax resolution each passed on a 5-3 board vote.
Directors Tracy Angelo, Stacey Erdely, Vicki Olexa, Thomas Shetterly and Deborah Vargo-Alekson voted in support of each measure. Jill Devine, Jason Erdely and Lisa Strickler cast opposing votes for both items.
This is the sixth tax increase in as many years for Frazier, which has raised its millage by 5.385 mills, or 40 percent, since 2012. The district’s general fund budget has risen from $14.7 million to $18 million over that time.
District business manager Kevin Mildren said the newest tax increase will generate $164,400 in additional revenue for the district.
Despite the tax hike, the district still faces a shortfall of nearly $105,000 in the new budget. The deficit will be covered by the district’s fund balance, which will enter the fiscal year at $1.2 million.
The deficit has shrunk considerably from a month ago when the board passed a preliminary budget that, even taking into consideration a tax increase, had a gap between expenditures and revenue in excess of a half-million dollars.
Mildren said the district was able to cut expenditures by $225,000 through personnel realignment, staffing adjustments and multiple retirements. Mildren said the district opted to not refill one vacant secretarial position and one aide position, and that several support positions are being considered for elimination based on need for the upcoming school year.
The consolidation of bus routes and the elimination of two to three buses is saving the district $120,000 in transportation costs.
“Our main goal with the budget was to keep staff as is, because we’re already short as far as our teaching and professional staff, and not eliminate any student programs or activities for students,” said district Superintendent Dr. Bill Henderson.
The district is saving an additional $71,900 for a reason Mildren and Henderson would not disclose following Monday’s meeting, but said the board made the determination in an executive session that evening.
The budget is a 2.3 percent increase over the district’s $17.6 million 2017-18 budget.