In its report, the tax study commission said that it suggested a .7 percent increase, in part, to keep in line with neighboring school districts. "The commission felt strongly that there should be continuity with other school districts in our area," the commission stated in the report.
Eisenhauer said the surrounding school districts in Franklin County have all recommended the minimum exclusion.
When Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell signed Act 1 into law in June 2006, it came with promises of property tax relief offset by a combination of state gaming revenue and a shift to income-based tax revenue, but not everyone in the district will benefit from a tax shift.
Eisenhauer said only those qualified homeowners who make less than $44,000 per year and individuals who do not have an earned income will benefit from the shift in taxes recommended by the commission. Those who rent, make more than $44,000 per year, or do not own their home will be "negatively affected by this," he said.
The recommendation made Tuesday was not what the commission would "ideally" have made, Eisenhauer said.
"It would have been nice to have the option to leave things as they are," he said. "But it is voters who have that option."
Larry Glenn, president of the Waynesboro Area School Board, said the board will vote on the recommendation in January. At that time, he said the board will draft a referendum to be placed on the ballot in May 2007, as required by Act 1.
How area districts compare on their Act 1 tax study recommendations:
Waynesboro Area
Earned income tax increase:
2006-07: 0.5 percent
2007-08: 1.2 percent
total: 0.7 percent
Greencastle-Antrim
Earned income tax increase:
2006-07: 0.5 percent
2007-08: 1.1 percent
Total: 0.6 percent
Chambersburg Area
Earned income tax increase
2006-07: 0.5 percent
2007-08: 1.2 percent
Total: 0.7 percent
Tuscarora School District
Earned income tax increase
2006-07: 0.5 percent
2007-08: 1.3 percent
Total: 0.8 percent
Source: School districts
