WHITEHALL, Pa. — On a night when Whitehall-Coplay School Board unanimously approved the district’s $103 million budget for 2025-26, some taxpayers held tight their wallets and pocketbooks.
But not their tongues.
Board members told angry residents at Monday’s meeting the 5.3% property tax increase is merely a working figure that allows the board to proceed with the work of finalizing the budget.
“I’m thinking about moving out of Whitehall.”Resident Patricia Beveridge
Yet the number has outraged many residents who say they can't afford yet another tax hike, particularly on top of a combined 7.4% increase the past two years.
“My son has been out of school for 27 years here, and I’m retired eight years, but I’m still paying school taxes,” resident Patricia Beveridge said during the public comment part of the meeting.
“Everything’s increasing — gas, food. How can you expect seniors to have a 5.3% increase? Why can’t there be something on the ballot, asking if we want an increase?
“I’m thinking about moving out of Whitehall.”
Said another resident: “A tax increase has to be refuted. You're hurting the residents.”
Not the final number
The final budget presentation will be made at the board’s finance committee meeting at 5 p.m. May 12.
Adoption of the final budget will be June 9, at the regular school board meeting.
“The 5.3% number is used because of the Act 1 Index. It doesn't mean that’s the final one. We’ll work to whittle it down.”George Williams, Whitehall-Coplay School Board member
School board member George Williams tried to allay residents' concerns by explaining the 5.3% figure is not a final number.
“The 5.3% number is used because of the Act 1 Index,” Williams said. “It doesn't mean that’s the final one. We’ll work to whittle it down.”
The Act 1 Index is a state law that limits the school district property tax increase to no more than 5.3% without a special exception or a referendum vote.
The school district’s current property tax rate is 21.6898 mills, meaning the owner of a home valued at $100,000 for tax purposes pays about $2,169 in property tax.
A 5.3% increase would raise the millage to 22.8394, meaning the owner of the same home would pay about $115 more a year, or $2,284.
A 1% tax increase equals $504,000 in tax revenue, Malay said.
Last year’s budget included a tax increase of 4.5%. The 2023-24 budget had a 2.9% increase.
The budget is $103,244,433 — an increase of $7.54 million over last year’s budget.
Current revenues are $96,335,204. Should the proposed budget be adopted, it would result in a spending shortfall of $6,909,229.
'Severely underfunded'
Board member Joseph Shields shared information from a report in The Philadelphia Inquirer that showed that Whitehall-Coplay School District ranks 408th of 499 school districts in Pennsylvania in per-student funding.
“I think it’s unfair to freeze salaries.”Whitehall-Coplay School Board member George Makhoul
“Our district is severely underfunded,” board member George Makhoul told those in attendance.
A resident suggested the school board institute a salary freeze to limit the amount of increased tax burden.
“I think it’s unfair to freeze salaries,” Makhoul said.
“If you understood what teachers and administrators go through on a daily basis and what we have to do to keep them here so they don’t leave for other districts to get $15,000 more a year.”
Bonds to pay improvement projects
Also Monday, the school board approved a bond resolution to fund various capital improvement projects.
The adoption of the resolution for the issuance of the school district’s General Obligation bonds is for no more than $5,500,000.
The bonds will be used in part to plan and construct a new elementary school, upgrade and renovate Steckel Elementary School and the middle school.
It also would be used to plan, renovate and construct other capital improvements to school facilities and buildings owned by the district, and pay the costs and expenses related to the issuance of the bonds.
