J-M school board adopts budget with tax increase
JEFFERSON — For the second year in a row, the Jefferson-Morgan School Board has passed a budget including an increase of slightly more than one-half of a mill in property taxes for the district’s residents.
The board adopted the 2013-14 budget of $12,232,400 on Monday, which represents an increase of $200,000 from the current budget.
The board unanimously voted to raise taxes this year by 0.59 mill, which is the maximum amount permissible under the index established by the Taxpayers Relief Act (Act 25 of 2011). A ballot referendum is required by the law for any tax increase rate higher than the 0.59 of a mill rate. The increased millage rate will raise the tax levy from the current 23.65 mills to 24.24 mills.
District Business Manager Jennifer Foringer said the 0.59-mill tax increase will raise an additional $80,000 for the district to help achieve the balanced budget. She also said the district is expected to receive an increase of approximately $69,000 in state funding this year.
Foringer said the largest increased expenditure was the four percent increase in the district’s contribution to the state teacher’s retirement fund.
At the 24.24-mill rate, Foringer explained a property assessed at $50,000 will see an increase of $29.50 from last year, bringing the property taxes to $1,212. A property assessed at $100,000 will see an increase of $59.00 from last year with property taxes now of $2,424.
Some property owners may be eligible for the homestead or farmstead exception, amounting to an estimated tax relief of $242.
Lisa Mattish, chairwoman of the budget committee, said the need for the tax increase is a result of the recovery efforts in the district after the reduction in state funding subsidy by more than $490,000 two years ago. The new budget starts the rebuilding process, but Mattish emphasized “we are still barely scratching the surface as to what needs put back into the district.”
“The continued underfunding of education shows the lack of understanding by the Corbett administration and shifts the burden of taxation to small districts like ours,” said Mark Pochran, board president.
Member John Shaffer encouraged residents to learn more about and support state House Bill 76 and state Senate Bill 76, also known as the Property Tax Independence Act.
“This is the second year in a row we have had to enact a tax increase,” he said. “We need comprehensive tax reform.”
Superintendent Donna Furnier said last year only two of the 13 teachers who resigned or retired were replaced. This year, six teachers have retired or resigned but the new budget will fund all existing positions and those teachers will all be replaced.
“This is a building year,” Furnier said, “We are streamlined and focused with the goal to be high quality.”
She also said some courses may need to be added in order to “do everything we can” to help the students achieve their very best in passing the Keystone examines.
In other business:
n Furnier announced the receipt of a $10,000 grant from PNC’s “Growing Up Great” program. The grant will be used to purchase mini-I pads for educational purposes to emphasize technology and science in the district’s Pre-K program.
n Maintenance Supervisor Scott Lafferty announced the ventilation fans had been installed in the field house, the lower level middle school cleaning had been completed and the high school was expected to be completed this week.
n The board approved a partnership between the district and Waynesburg University to offer a program of after-school reading assistance to students two days a week. Elementary Principal Sam Silbaugh said the program will be using the university’s student teachers.
n The board accepted the resignation of Cassie M. Mader, elementary librarian and consumer science teacher.
n The board appointed Rebecca Capozza as girls’ basketball assistant coach.
n The board reappointed all head coaches, including Natalie Greenlee, cheerleading; John Curtis, baseball; Tony Barbetta, softball; and David Friend, track. All assistant and volunteer coaches were also reappointed.
n The board agreed to re-advertise all coaching vacancies until the positions are filled.
n The board approved a motion to designate separate male and female locker rooms at the field house and instructed the maintenance department to install visual barriers in the locker rooms as view blockers when the doors are open.
n Announced the next board meeting will be 7 p.m. July 15.