School board budget draft calls for reduced tax hike

November 30, 1999|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. ? Waynesboro Area School Board members have before them a 2006-07 budget that includes a tax hike that is less than the increase first proposed.

The final draft of the $43.476 million budget presented Tuesday calls for a 4.887-mill increase in property taxes, which is down from the previous 6.4 mills and would translate into an additional $69 of taxes for the average property owner. That assumes the average assessed value of a house in the Borough of Waynesboro is $14,173.

"We have gone through and made some reductions," Business Manager Caroline Dean said.

The budget also changed because of the latest real estate assessment figures provided at the county level, she said.

Those assessments were in the district's favor, Dean said.

Each mill of taxes generates approximately $206,000 of revenue for the district, School Board President Larry Glenn said.

The school board must adopt the 2006-07 budget by June 30.

"The only adjustments I would see from here on out would be any grant awards," Dean said.

The 2005-06 budget had been approved at $40.4 million. The current mill rate is 70.88.

District officials recently attributed the increases in expenditures to rising costs in fuel, energy, special education services, retirement payments and cyber charter schools.

The district also is preparing to embark on a $40 million high school renovation project.

The school board on Tuesday acted to issue a $10 million bond for the project. Closing is set for mid-June, said Gregg McLanahan of Public Financial Management.

The high school will be closed from mid-June to early August for asbestos abatement, Superintendent Barry Dallara said. He said he is confident the work can be done in that time frame.

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