BV’s preliminary budget contains increase in tax rate
Belle Vernon School Board voted 6-2 at a special meeting Tuesday to adopt a preliminary budget of $37.9 million for the 2016-17 school year that will raise taxes in district communities in both Westmoreland and Fayette counties back to 2011-12 rates.
The preliminary budget was increased from the $37.8 million budget that was proposed at the last board meeting May 23, which contained a 2.88-mill tax increase in Westmoreland County and a 0.39-mill increase in Fayette County. The board delayed the vote last week to allow it more time to get accurate numbers and do more work on the budget before making a decision.
The preliminary budget passed Tuesday contains a millage rate of 77.69, with an increase of 1.33 mills in Westmoreland County, where tax rates are at 22 percent to 23 percent of assessed value, and a rate of 18.48, with an increase of .02 mills, in Fayette County, where the tax rate is at full assessed value.
Dr. John Wilkinson, school district superintendent, explained Wednesday that the last tax increase in Belle Vernon was in the 2011-12 budget. Since then, the board has kept taxes steady, but an annual state rebalancing formula between the two counties has either raised taxes slightly in one county or cut them in the other while keeping the same millage.
Pesident Joe Grata, Vice President Lou Rood, Secretary Daniel Sepesky, Assistant Secretary Edward Naylor and directors Joel Whiteko and Gloria Yuschak voted yes. Directors John Nusser Jr. and Aaron Bialon voted no. Director Ronald Sotta was absent.
Grata said the increase would not have been needed “had the governor and Legislature done their job” and “provided the support” needed by the Belle Vernon district and other districts in the area.
“With regard to the expenditures, it’s about as bare-bones and as tight as it can get,” Grata said.
Grata said he will meet with tax collectors from five municipalities June 8. “We all need to be on the same page,” Grata said.
He said he wants to ensure that they are “collecting every possible penny” that is owed to the district. He said other issues, like renters in the area who are not being accounted for, will also be discussed.
Wilkinson said this budget may still change as the board moves forward this month. Wilkinson said district officials have the amount expected to be received from the federal government, but are still waiting on the state and local revenue numbers, which have the ability to potentially change the budget.
“My goal now is to start looking at the building budget and things we still have control of,” Wilkinson said.
“We can always eliminate expenditures,” Wilkinson said. Wilkinson said some cuts have been made, including $65,000 for new bleachers and $145,000 for an elevator. “No programs that impact students have been eliminated yet,” Wilkinson said.
He said he will have a more detailed analysis of other cuts made at the next board meeting at 7 p.m. June 30 in the district administration building, where the board will vote on the final budget.
The budget will be available for public inspection through June 30.