May 18, 2016 1 min read

NEW EAGLE – Ringgold School Board is proposing a 2-mill property tax increase to meet the rising costs of employee retirement and medical benefits in the next term.

The tax increase will generate $250,000 in new income under the terms of the tentative $42.7-million budget introduced Wednesday, said Randy Skrinjorich, director of operations and financial services at Ringgold.

“Fortunately, we did not have to furlough,” Skrinjorich said while presenting an overview of the 2016-17 budget that is expected to be adopted by the board June 27.

The district’s employee retirement contributions will increase next term by $720,395, while medical benefits will cost an additional $270,000, Skrinjorich said.

The total cost next term of retirement benefits will be $5.2 million. The budget also sets aside $13.1 million for basic education.

Skrinjorich said the proposed budget reflects an increase of $976,212 over the current spending plan, with some savings being earned from positions that will be lost through attrition.

The board also directed the administration donate $10,000 each in cash or in-kind contributions to public libraries in Donora and Monongahela.