No tax increase in McGuffey district
Property owners in the McGuffey School District will see no real estate tax increase when their bills for the coming school year arrive.
The vote last week on the 2019-2020 budget of $32,101,972 was 5-2, with Carl Group and Ed Szygenda dissenting. W. Scott Finch II and Scott Harden were absent.
After a $34.05 million preliminary budget was presented last January, the district applied for a tax-increase exception with the Department of Education to raise taxes above the state-allowable index.
That was not needed because of a number of factors. Among those cited were:
n The district learned in the spring that the cost of health insurance had been reduced by around $550,000, leading to a 2% decrease in the premium.
n Textbook adoption was reduced by $358,000, and the special services budget was reduced by $335,000 based on placements and projections.
n McGuffey’s contribution to the Western Area Career and Technology Center will be $438,011, a reduction of $50,205.
n The district will use $388,413 of its $4 million surplus.
Amy Todd, business administrator, noted in an email, “We have been cutting expenditures. We have reduced items such as staffing, athletics, supplies and transportation.”
Betty Shingle, school board member representing Blaine and Donegal townships and Claysville borough, said, “Residents have been feeling the bleed of increased taxes for such a long time. People couldn’t even remember just how long it actually was.”
The tax bill at face value will be $1,235 per $100,000 of a property’s assessment.
There was also talk last January of McGuffey examining the possibility of a four-day week for students, but the matter is still being studied, according to Todd.
The central office staff works a four-day week during the summer.