Greater Latrobe School Board has agreed to a ceiling for any property tax increase it may approve for the 2020-21 school year.

The board this week passed a resolution pledging to stay within the 2.71-mill maximum — the equivalent of a 3.3% increase, determined by a state index, in accordance with the Act 1 Taxpayer Relief Act.

“We will not be raising taxes above the index, and we’re hoping to come in lower than that,” said Greater Latrobe Superintendent Georgia Teppert.

If the district were to exceed the index, it would have to seek local voter approval or state approval of Act 1 exceptions and would have to prepare a preliminary 2020-21 budget early next year.

Avoiding that preliminary budget process, Greater Latrobe is expected to adopt a tentative 2020-21 spending plan in May and a final version by the end of June.

According to figures reviewed by the school board, a potential tax hike of 2.71 mills is projected to add $934,950 to district revenue, while a more modest increase of 1 mill would add $ 345,000.

The school board approved a tax increase of 1 mill — to 82.25 mills — in June to help support the current $57 million district budget, well within the 2.36-mill cap set a year ago.

The last time Greater Latrobe exceeded the state cap was in 2010-11 — when the board approved a 4.5-mill hike, compared to a 2.48-mill cap.

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