The State College Area School District must pass a proposed budget and final budget within two months, and discussion around the budget’s development Monday night highlighted how it could benefit taxpayers.
A few numbers stood out in the changes made during the budget’s development. In a preliminary budget draft, there was a proposed 3.3 percent tax increase. After that budget passed, the proposed increase has since been reduced to 2.7 percent, to an even lower 2.4 percent.
Such a decrease was possible because the developing budget proposes giving back to the community through a lower real estate tax increase via savings from debt refinancing and health insurance savings.
The district has been able to save money ‘in both the short and long term by refinancing debt.’ Recently, they realized savings in listening to proposals from other health insurance carriers, something it does every three years.
The passage of the preliminary budget allowed the district to assess different ways to reduce expenses. Included in that is the assumption that the district will be able to achieve the attritional savings of $600,000.
In regard to projects, the district is currently considering several that include renovations to the State College Area High School, upgrades for Memorial Field, the preparation for upgrades to additional elementary schools, and the repurposing of other district facilities.
The District has to submit a proposed budget and a final budget without knowing what kind of funding it will receive from the state. Last year, Gov. Corbett made sweeping cuts to education, which presented problems for institutions at all levels.
The district maintained that the budget development contains several assumptions as it is still being finalized, and future meetings will reveal more final decisions.
Notable action taken at Monday night’s meeting included:
- The board approved the hiring of a new Director of Human Resources in Sandy Emerich. She will assume her duties on July 1. Superintendent Bob O’Donnell said the district is ‘really excited’ to have her on board, that her extensive HR experience will be of serious value to the district as it moves forward in its endeavors.
- The board authorized a motion that allows the administration and solicitor to take the steps to ‘expose the ‘Overlook Heights Property’ for sale, pursuant to the requirements of the school code.’
- The approval of a collective bargaining agreement with the custodial and maintenance and food service employees.
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