Quaker Valley School District projects 2.9% tax hike in next school year's budget

Quaker Valley School District property owners should expect to pay 2.9% more in real estate taxes next school year.

School directors unanimously voted April 15 to adopt its 2024-25 proposed budget with a tax increase and no cuts to programs or services.

The millage rate would go from 20.6277 mills to 21.2362 mills, which is a 0.6085-mill jump.

Owners of a home with an assessed value of $200,000 would pay $10.14 more per month in property taxes, should the final budget be adopted as is next month, according to district finance and operations director Scott Antoline.

He noted the tax hike is far below the 5.1% allowed through the Act 1 index.

The inflation-based index is the percentage that districts are allowed to raise taxes without seeking a voter referendum.

“(The) tax increase is necessary to balance the contracted increases for employee salaries and benefits, additional special education service needs, and inflationary pressures in all areas with supply and contracted service costs on the rise,” Antoline said.

Revenues and expenditures were projected at a little less than $60.66 million.

It is a 4.13% overall increase compared to the current school year, including a 7.28% jump in facilities-related costs due to inflation, Antoline said.

Real estate taxes and earned income taxes make up about 80% of district revenue.

Salaries and benefits make up about 68% of district expenses.

Projected income includes about $40.27 million in real estate taxes, $5.76 million in earned income taxes, $3.98 million in state retirement reimbursements, $3.555 million in combined basic and special education state subsidies, $1.175 million in delinquent real estate taxes and $571,400 in federal monies.

Projected spending includes about $40.823 million for salaries and benefits, $6.473 million for debt service, $2.379 million for transportation, $1.252 million for technology, $1.118 million for central administration/business operations and $555,000 for the Sewickley Public Library.

No major changes are expected in the budget prior to final adoption.

It is available for review at the district office and online under the finance section of qvsd.org.

“We’re going to continue responsibly managing the district finances, delivering a new high school (and) doing it in a manner that is responsible both to the students and to the taxpayers,” board president Jonathan Kuzma said.

The board voted on the proposed budget shortly after its committee meetings on April 16 instead of waiting for its regular voting session on April 24, the day after the state’s primary election.

Antoline said the board could not wait for its other April meeting because the budget needed to be posted 30 days prior to final adoption.

It is slated to be approved on May 21.