EMMAUS, Pa. — East Penn School Board approved a preliminary budget Monday amid some board members' grumbles about the proposed tax increase, in a meeting that also added new opportunities for home education students.
- East Penn School Board lowered its proposed tax increase Monday, but board members asked whether it could go lower, while acknowledging the need for reading interventionists and other initiatives
- The tax rate is proposed to increase by 3.55%, to 20.3740 mills, but may go down further to a 3.4% increase before final passage
- New policies passed allow home education students to participate in some co-curricular and educational opportunities
The originally proposed 3.92% property tax rate increase has dropped to 3.55% — which would raise the tax rate from 19.6766 mills to 20.3740 mills.
That's less than the maximum state law 4.9% increase the board agreed not to exceed earlier in the budget process.
A mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. So a tax rate of 20.3740 mills would mean the owner of a home valued at $200,000 for tax purposes would pay $4,074.80 in annual property tax — an increase of $139.48 over this year.
Tax hike could go lower
Business Administrator Robert Saul attributed the smaller proposed tax hike to more anticipated revenue and the reduction of expenses in the final budget document.
Saul said that based on what the administration currently knows, a final tax rate increase of about 3.4% is anticipated before the final budget is approved, set for June 12.
The board unanimously approved the $187,746,388 proposed budget, but several members, including William Whitney and Allan Byrd, voiced some concern over the amount of tax increase while praising the efforts in the budget priorities for the upcoming year.
"I think that 3.55 percent millage tax rate increase is too high," Whitney said. "I would love to see it come down to at least the level we saw last year."
Whitney also asked whether the efforts proposed would be enough to address the district's learning acquisition shortfalls. Campbell responded that the administration is comfortable with the proposed interventionist positions.
"As far as special ed goes I totally support it, and safety as well, however, I think we need to get this a little bit lower than what it is"Board Member Michael Felegy
Still, many on the board, including those who spoke with hesitation over the rate increase, noted the importance that the priorities established at recent meetings for increased educational support staff.
"I look at the costs and I understand the costs but I can speak for it — my son is a student at Jefferson," board member Michael Felegy said. "He has an interventionist for reading and the amount of work they put in these kids is unbelievable.
"As far as special ed goes, I totally support it, and safety, as well. However, I think we need to get this a little bit lower than what it is."
"I wish it didn't cost this much," board member Alisa Bowman said. "Unfortunately, we have big problems, and to solve problems we have to spend money and that's the situation that we're in."
More budget hearings ahead
Co-teaching positions, middle-level security positions and reading interventionists to boost reading comprehension skills among elementary school students in the district — many still lagging because of the coronavirus pandemic — would be covered by the proposed tax increase and other anticipated revenue increases, Superintendent Kristen Campbell said.
The board also voted to continue the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Rebate Program for the next year, with the income eligibility guidelines to be established at the final budget adoption.
The board also revised the current long-range fiscal and capital plan with revised finance estimates.
Long Range Fiscal and Capital Plan by LVNewsdotcom on Scribd
Two more scheduled budget hearings and discussions remain for East Penn:
- May 22: Presentation of budget updates and discussion of final budget
- June 12: Presentation and adoption of the final budget
Home-taught students get new opportunities
Also Monday, the board gave final approval to various changes to district policies introduced in March related to its home education program.
They include:
- Letting home education program students participate in district co-curricular activities at the school building they would be assigned if enrolled.
- Allowing participation in career and technical education programs offered by the district.
- Allowing participation in district academic courses equaling up to a quarter of the typical full time student school day.
The changes add to the established ability for those students to participate in extracurricular activities and interscholastic athletic programs per certain district guidelines.
The policies were passed without issue for their third reading and adoption.
