Board president decries legislation
BELLE VERNON – New legislation concerning taxes did not receive approval from school board President Aaron Bialon who challenged state representatives to receive an education at a future meeting of the board about the impact the law may have on the school district. During the board’s regular meeting Thursday evening, members discussed the new Taxpayer Relief Act requiring school districts across the Commonwealth to appoint a local tax study commission no later than Sept. 14.
Bialon said he has “negative feelings” about the act. He specifically invited state Rep. Peter J. Daley (D-California) and state Rep. Ted Harhai (D-Monessen) to learn about the impact the act might have on the district.
“They have no idea how it will impact us,” he said, adding that the representatives are in summer recess and can offer no excuse for not attending a meeting. “There will be no conflict with Harrisburg.”
Bialon said Eileen Navish, business manager, sent letters to local legislators and the governor’s office about the impact to the district before Gov. Ed Rendell signed the bill into law.
“I will vote negative to anything to do with that act,” Bialon said. “I’m a state official and I don’t agree with them limiting my decision making ability.”
He said the board might seek one individual from each municipality in the school district to make up the commission, which must consist of five, seven or nine members who are residents or taxpayers of the school district. No official, employee or relative of an official or employee may serve on the commission. One member of the school board may sit on the commission, and the board elected board member James McKevitt.
“We are doing well. Our finances are excellent and our fund balances are increasing,” Bialon noted, adding that the district’s fund balance is close to $4 million, up from $350,000 in 2002-2003.
“We are ending the year very well. We are financially and academically well off,” Navish told the board during the meeting’s financial reports. “We had a successful financial year.”
In a related matter, the board agreed to discuss switching the real estate millage from a municipal rate to a county rate.
The district covers five municipalities – Belle Vernon, Fayette City, Washington Township, North Belle Vernon and Rostraver Township – within Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
The 2006 millage rates are as follows: Belle Vernon: 14.72; Fayette City: 14.58; Washington Township: 16.84; North Belle Vernon: 59.51; and Rostraver Township: 70.79.