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Charleroi eyes possible tax increase

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Charleroi Area School District officials are continuing to pare down the 2016-17 preliminary budget that contains a 4.9-mill tax increase.

“The superintendent and I will be meeting with department heads and principals (to make cuts),” business manager Crystal Zahand said Thursday. “The goal is to balance fiscal responsibility with high-quality programs.”

Zahand said the $24.1 million preliminary spending plan proposes raising taxes to the state index that for Charleroi schools is 3.6 percent. The district’s current millage is 136. A mill generates $50,000. Additionally, the board voted to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for a referendum exception because of anticipated increases to the district’s share of required payments to the Public School Employees Retirement System for pensions.

“The referendum exception (if approved) would give us another two mills,” Zahand said. The preliminary budget was approved Monday by the school board.

Zahand said a tax increase of 4.9 mills (to the index) to 6.9 mills (with the index and retirement exception) would mean an extra $50 to $75 a year in school taxes for the average taxpayer.

The 2016-17 preliminary budget is a 10 percent increase over the current spending plan.

Zahand said the district earlier this month received $5.2 million in state funding and is owed another $3.5 million.

Charleroi Area School Board Vice President Vice President Adele Hopkins said ultimately she wants to see a smaller tax increase when members in June vote on the final spending plan.

“I don’t see that we can do a zero tax increase,” Hopkins said. “We want to be fiscally responsible and make sure we are getting the biggest bang for our buck.”

The next finance committee meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Feb. 23 in the community room at the middle/high school, 100 Fescen Drive.

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