Brownsville
Board OKs tax increase of 3.5 mills Taxpayers in the Brownsville Area School District will see a 3.5-mill increase in real estate taxes this year. Brownsville Area School Board voted Wednesday 6-2 to approve the $24.2 million budget, setting the millage at 15.770 mills for Fayette County and 72.110 mills for Washington County.
At that rate, a resident with a property assessed at $50,000 would pay $788.50 in Fayette County and $3,605.50 in Washington County.
Directors Stella Broadwater and Nena Kaminsky opposed the move.
“The people of Brownsville cannot afford this kind of a tax increase,” Broadwater said. “It’s very, very sad. We got into this trouble from spending outside of the budget. It’s got to come to an end.”
Board President Rocky Brashear said the increase is a result of the district “trying to keep above water.”
“I would love my vote to be no. But it’s something we have to do. With health care costs going up 18.3 percent and everything else, no school has enough money,” Brashear said. “A 3.5-mill increase is just the tip. This district could use an 8-mill tax increase, no doubt about it.”
Dr. Philip Savini, superintendent, reminded the board that the district has saved about a million dollars over the last year with cutting costs and personnel.
According to business manager Ed Yorke, 80 percent of the budget will be used for instructional, 12 percent will go to support services and 8 percent will go to the debt service fund.
“The district’s main goal is always to spend the district’s money wisely,” Yorke said.
In a personnel move, the school board hired a new custodian and one new guidance clerk. The board also hired nine elementary education teachers, one elementary music teacher, four middle school teachers and two high school teachers.
Before the motions, Director Andy Dorsey suggested that the board look into a system of evaluating substitute teachers so that those with exceptional service do not get overlooked during the hiring process. Brashear said there were 92 applicants for the vacancies. Director Francine Pavone said the choices are made by the administration and presented to the board members based on a scoring process.
Kaminsky also made a motion, which was unanimously passed, that all new hires undergo a drug test providing the health carrier will cover the cost.
In other business, Steve Neubauer, board president for Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, briefed the school board about the plan to have public meetings concerning career technical training.
“We want to work with you. We want to join with you and gather together parents, students, school board members and everyone involved to be part of the discussion,” Neubauer said.
Neubauer noted that Fay-Penn and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to create a task force which will come up with the structure of the public meetings.
“Every meeting that I’ve attended in the past has always come back to a building,” Savini said. “It comes back to the schools needing to build a new vo-tech school. I’m frustrated with it. I know your heart is in the right place, but every time Fay-Penn wants us to do something, they want us to pay for it. We can’t afford it.”
Neubauer said the purpose of the public meetings was to discuss career technical education.
“I have a feeling that the public meetings will turn into a new building project,” Savini said.
During the meeting, the board also approved:
n The revised school dress code which includes no flip flop shoes and no jeans with holes unless the hole is backed by additional material.
n The ratification of a 5-year contract between the district and Linda Marcolini, assistant superintendent, effective July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2015.
n The election of Director Andy Dorsey as treasurer of the board effective July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.