Mar 4, 2015 2 min read

Residents in two local school districts could be looking at tax increases this year.

Burgettstown School Board approved a 2015-16 preliminary budget of $18,926,058 at its Feb. 16 meeting. The final budget will be adopted in June. If the proposed budget stays as is, it would mean an increase in spending of roughly $500,000, compared with the current year.

Burgettstown Superintendent Deborah Jackson said the district has yet to determine the effect on taxpayers.

“I can’t comment on that,” Jackson said. “We are looking at every line item on the budget to see if and where we can make cuts.”

Jackson attributes the spending increase to rising pension, special education and cyber school costs.

Last year, the district raised taxes by 3 mills.

In Chartiers-Houston School District, taxpayers face an increase of 2.5 mills, or a $10 to $20 yearly tax increase, business manager Don Bennett said. On Feb. 16, the school board approved a preliminary budget of $17,735,693. The final budget will be adopted in June. If the proposed budget remains unchanged, spending will increase by $684,146.

Bennett said the district will continue to review the budget and additional changes are possible.

“We have a lot of things to consider,” he said. “We will look at the budget and see if there is anything we can cut.”

Bennett said pension costs are to blame for the increase, as well as an increase in special education costs. Last June, the district furloughed six teachers and eliminated the annual $50,000 contribution to Chartiers-Houston Community Library in an effort to bridge a gap in this year’s budget. The school board also approved a 9.0125-mill tax increase.