'Tax Hike Less Than 3%,' Parkland Administrators Say
Administrators are recommending $1.5 million in proposed adjustments to the 2013-14 Parkland School District budget and say their work is not done.
Parkland School District administrators said Tuesday that, when completed, the 2013-14 school budget will carry a tax increase of less than 3 percent.
Administrators presented a recommended $1.5 million in budget adjustments to a board Education committee Tuesday morning that would bring the preliminary tax hike down from 5.82 percent (a 14.36-mill increase) to 4.35 percent (14.16 mills).
That, said superintendent Richard Sniscak, brings the budget down to Act 1 levels, plus allowable exceptions.
The Parkland School Board approved a $145.7 million preliminary budget last month, which is the first step in the budget process.
"We're going to keep going as low as possible under 3 percent," Sniscak said. "We're down a significant amount. There's a lot of uncertainty with the state budget and pension reform, but our work is not done."
The recommended budget adjustments are:
- A $250,000 increase from the district's fund balance
- A $250,000 earned income tax adjustment
- A $250,000 budget reserve adjustment
- A $28,177 adjustment in athletic supplies
- A $100,00 adjustment in energy savings
- A $100,000 adjustment in IU special education
- A $24,249 adjustment in the Lehigh Carbon Community College budget
- A $1,938 adjustment in the Lehigh Carbon Technical Institute budget
- A $35,558 adjustment in Parkland's share of LCTI's Academic center fund balance
- A $361,028 adjustment in salaries
- A $112,331 adjustment in benefits
Director of Business Administration John Vignone said he is "cautiously optimistic," with the way the current budget is trending and added he is comfortable with projecting these adjustments.
"The puzzle is all lining up and it makes sense," Vignone said. "We like where this is trending. The climate is right and I'm confident that we'll be under three percent. The taxpayers will appreciate that."
The current 2012-13 budget socked taxpayers with a 3.67 percent tax increase.
Administrators will hold a budget seminar on Friday, April 26 in order to tackle further budget issues.
John
8:27 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
UNACCEPTABLE!!! How many taxpayers have enjoyed an 8% salary increase over the last 2 years??? This is an untenable increase in current economic times. The school needs to STOP following the government in its spending spree, and make cuts that fairly include ALL areas of extracurricular and special interests. I don't want to hurt the education children receive, but let's look at programs established over the last 5-7 years and start taking hard looks at 'necessity' vs. 'want'. If you 'want' your child to participate in chorus, drama or volleyball, then parents, it's time to ante up. If you can send your child to piano lessons or sports camps, you can afford to support your school club or team. Taxpayers can no longer be burdened by the 'extras', as it's school board and administration continue to be unable to corral the costs of running these institutions. $145,000,000 budget and their proposal is $361,028 in salary "adjustments"???? REALLY ??? That's a .0025% decrease for those math PhD's on the school board....when will this Board and Administration demonstrate FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY???
Vote Black Pope
11:03 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
how many times in the past decade have the wizards of Parkland School District raised taxes? 9, 10? Stop the madness, cut curriculum luxuries and why have a TV station channel for the school district, waste waste waste, charge for busing closer than 1 mile from a students house to school...
dale french
1:37 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
When are you people going to wake the hell up.Who else other than our teachers and our government enjoys an 8% pay increase over a two years. Not to many of us.So why dose our School district believe they are entitled to that kind of pay increase. It was not to long ago Parkland announced the purchase of new school buses. Again we the taxpayers pay for them. On any given day you will find parents lined up at any given school in the district dropping off or waiting to pick up their kids and the buses are at half capacity.What is wrong with this picture .Parents have your kids ride the bus your taxes are paying for it .Taking them to school or giving them a car to drive to school is not teaching them FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Jill
1:48 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
This is bull! It's inexcusable!!
MICHAEL FORD
8:43 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013
ok ok i see there are people who feel the way i do.So what are you going to do?Cry on this forum,or show up at school board meetings and show you're displeasure.It is time as a parkland area tax payer you do something other than nothing.Do not leave it to the next guy,BE THE NEXT GUY!!!This turkey of a budget needs to trimmed even more!!I guess what iam saying is this as a tax payer things are hard and to see this proposed increase iam not happy...MR.Superintendent things are hard for alot of tax payers,here in the parkland school district,RIGHT NOW WE NEED A BREAK!!!!
Ralph
10:32 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013
So in other words they are already starting to take away the much deserved break we got with the reassessment. If housing prisces weren't so bad (maybe because of the tax burden I would certainly get out here. The only constraint on spending is to stay below the point where the tax payers can have a voice by the vote. These people know they could not win a referendum.