Morrisville School District has applied for exceptions so taxes can be hiked above the Act I index mandated by the state, if they ultimately choose to go that route.
If the move is approved by the Department of Education, the district could increase taxes above the 2 percent Act I index rate set by the state.
"We are asking for exceptions for the million dollar budgetary shortfall," said Business Manager Paul DeAngelo referring to the 2013-14 proposed budget for Morrisville schools.
The school board approved the preliminary budget late last month. It includes $18.36 million in expenditures and $17.29 million in revenue. Revenue additions or cuts need to occur to get to a balanced budget by June 30, the state deadline for final budget approval.
They requested the options to exceed the 2 percent index for special education and Public School Employees' Retirement System costs.
Morrisville's contribution to PSERS will increase 4 percent, or $400,000, for the next school year, DeAngelo said. According to district calculations, an additional 4 percent increase is expected by 2015.
The owners of the 2,998 properties in Morrisville that pay taxes haven’t seen a tax increase in five years. During the 2008-09 school year, the millage was 187.3; each year after that the millage was 177.3.
But that came with a price.
To balance the budget each of those years, the district took from its fund balance, or savings. Since then, the fund balance has dropped to $478,550 from $3 million.
“The honeymoon is over,” Jon Perry, a parent, said last week.
School board Director Steve Worob and board members Ronald Stout and Jack Buckman have repeatedly said that increasing taxes shouldn’t even be an option because the blue-collar community can’t afford it. They strongly have suggested making cuts such as going with half-day kindergarten, instead of full-day.
If the move is approved by the Department of Education, the district could increase taxes above the 2 percent Act I index rate set by the state.
But that doesn’t mean a tax hike would be a given, just an option.
But that doesn’t mean a tax hike would be a given, just an option.The school board approved the preliminary budget late last month. It includes $18.36 million in expenditures and $17.29 million in revenue. Revenue additions or cuts need to occur to get to a balanced budget by June 30, the state deadline for final budget approval.
They requested the options to exceed the 2 percent index for special education and Public School Employees' Retirement System costs.
Morrisville's contribution to PSERS will increase 4 percent, or $400,000, for the next school year, DeAngelo said. According to district calculations, an additional 4 percent increase is expected by 2015.
The owners of the 2,998 properties in Morrisville that pay taxes haven’t seen a tax increase in five years. During the 2008-09 school year, the millage was 187.3; each year after that the millage was 177.3.
But that came with a price.
To balance the budget each of those years, the district took from its fund balance, or savings. Since then, the fund balance has dropped to $478,550 from $3 million.
“The honeymoon is over,” Jon Perry, a parent, said last week.
School board Director Steve Worob and board members Ronald Stout and Jack Buckman have repeatedly said that increasing taxes shouldn’t even be an option because the blue-collar community can’t afford it. They strongly have suggested making cuts such as going with half-day kindergarten, instead of full-day.
8 comments:
Look ma, I made the paper! 4 whole words! Woohoo!
"School board Director Steve Worob and board members Ronald Stout and Jack Buckman have repeatedly said that increasing taxes shouldn’t even be an option because the blue-collar community can’t afford it."
The Republican "NO" thought "NO" compromise "NO" progress chorus is at work again. Don't these three understand that they are the last of a group that literally blew up our schools and drained our reserve fund?
NO they don't, all their screw ups are somebody else's fault.
Stout and Buckman's seats are up this year. If they run for re-election, spread the word that they need to be booted off the board.
These clowns have probably cost the District 6 figures in lawsuits. Us taxpayers will have to foot the bill. Fiscal watchdogs - what a joke.
All this was caused by CPA Hellman , and the Administration just sat back and let it happen. They work for the Community not just the School Board. If they knew this would happen they should have spoke up or the are as guilty or more guilty than the school board for letting it happen. No Business Manager with any brains would let all the reserve be drained, unless there was an agenda for this to happen. Let thaem all go they created this mess. And Mr. Worob, do you think Morrisville is the only town in the world having to deal with tax increases and cost of living increases. Get a clue Steve. Wake up Mr. Stout.
We got our local Bush tax cuts courtesy of Hellmann CPA. The budgets were balanced by the mirage of draining the reserves. What the hell do they care, they don't have children to educate in this district. Make them personally liable for their own screw ups as board members, then the tune changes.
I posted on this before back in October in Potluck #62. Anyway, for those interested in actual numbers, below are MSD’s school property taxes (in mills) over the last 11 years:
2002-03 = 159.1
2003-04 = 159.1
2004-05 = 159.1
2005-06 = 159.1
2006-07 = 182.8
2007-08 = 205.1
2008-09 = 187.3
2009-10 = 177.3
2010-11 = 177.3
2011-12 = 177.3
2012-13 = 177.3
I juts got my muni bill, and it's the same as last year's. Imagine that?
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