May 20, 2022 2 min read

Trinity Area School District residents likely will pay slightly higher property taxes the next school year.

Trinity school board directors on May 5 approved a $67,099,354 preliminary general fund budget, which calls for a 0.58-milage increase, from 13.9 to 14.48 mills.

The owner of a home assessed at $100,000 would pay an extra $53.

Taylor Hott, Director of Fiscal Services, said the budget is increasing about 5% overall.

“The main reason is, we are building a new building,” said Hott.

The school district has undertaken a construction project that includes building a new intermediate school on the Trinity Middle School campus and renovating the middle school.

The project is estimated to cost $62 million. The district plans to use $60 million in bond funds and $2 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for construction and renovation.

“There is nothing atypical about the budget, outside of the debt service. That accounts for 3.2% of the budget increase,” said Hott. “The remainder is attributed to salary increases, the PSERs rate, and special education costs.”

The district plans to open bids and award contracts in July. Hott said the new middle school building is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2024.

The board is expected to vote on a final budget on June 16.