Blair and Huntingdon County property owners in the Tyrone Area School District are facing a tax hike according to the proposed 2006-07 budget that was approved for public viewing by the school board last night.
If the final budget as proposed is approved next month, Blair County owners will be taxed an additional 4.67 mills. In Huntingdon County, the increase is 2.67 mills with Centre County property owners realizing a .72 mill decrease because of equalization. The district is subject to equalization because residents that comprise the district live in three different counties.
After the meeting, Superintendent Dr. William N. Miller noted some of the increased costs the district is facing. He said salaries would increase by approximately $300,000. Medical insurance costs are rising as well. He also cited significant increases in natural gas, electricity and other costs.
Before last night’s vote, administrators met twice to make adjustments before the budget was presented to be approved for public viewing. The district was able to find $666,723 in savings through increasing the real estate collection rate to 92 percent ($78,741), moving expenditures to the capital project ($214,210), reducing the budgetary reserve by ($250,000) and several other cost-saving measures that included cuts to van and truck purchases, slashing two aide positions, cutting an elementary special education teacher position in half, reducing the elementary budget allocation, administrative travel and costs associated with the school newsletter.
In a second round of adjustments the district came up with an additional $255,862 in savings by replacing an elementary principal with a full time dean of students ($77,987), eliminating a high school special education position, ($50,000), reducing a vocational consultant contract ($35,000) and other savings through reduction of positions, staff development and other costs. The administration also found savings by recommending the school’s spring musical be self-supporting, a senior class trip be student paid and the real estate penalty be raised from five to 10 percent.
Dr. Miller told The Daily Herald this morning, “The downsizing is starting at the top- that is in administration. I just met with the elementary faculty today to share some perspectives relative to the budget and some of the issues we are facing this year and in future years. I’ll be meeting with the middle school and high school (faculty) tomorrow.
“The downsizing has really been planned,” said Miller.
He explained a report was given to the board about a year-and-a-half ago that made suggestions to use a dean of students to replace a retiring elementary principal and to use dean of students instead of assistant principals at the middle school and high school. He said more responsibilities would fall on the assistant superintendent and himself.
The total savings administrators came up with was $922,585. The moves left the district with a $493,082 shortfall between proposed 2006-07 revenues and 2006-07 expenses with the tax increase factored into the numbers. The district fund balance will be reduced from $1,638,652 on June 30, 2006 to $1,145,570 on June 30, 2007 to cover the shortfall.
The 4.67 mills for Blair County is the largest increase in the district since the late 1990s. Dr. Miller noted Tyrone Area school taxes are consistently the second lowest in Blair County. Tyrone Area taxes increased 3 mills last year for Blair County homeowners.
Ray Detwiler was the lone vote against presenting the proposed budget for public review.
“I just felt that there could have been some more work done to it so there would not be a tax increase,” said Detwiler.
The average increased cost per mill is $5.60 per mill in Blair County and $12.21 per mill in Huntingdon County using the respective average residential assessed value in each county.
On average, residential homeowners in the district will see $26.14 added to their taxes in Blair County for 2006-07. The average increase in Huntingdon County for the year will be $28.93. Centre County residents in the Tyrone Area School District will save $21.97 on average for the year.
