TAX NEWS - 2010

Pennsylvania Tax: Gov. Mifflin School Board OKs budget with tax increase

The Governor Mifflin School Board has approved a 2010-11 budget that raises taxes in the district by slightly more than 2.5 percent.

The $61 million budget requires a property tax millage rate of 23.2, a .6-mill increase over the current tax rate. That means the owner of a property assessed at $100,000 will pay $2,320 in school taxes.

The budget was adopted amid controversy over cuts made to the district music program.

Because a music teacher is retiring and will not be replaced, the district decided to cut instrumental lessons in third and fourth grades.

District officials cited cost and scheduling concerns as well as concerns about pulling students out of class for lessons as reasons for the cuts.

Parents, students and former students protested the cuts at board meetings in May and earlier this month.

But the district stuck by its guns, approving the cuts and the budget.

The budget passed 7-1. Kimberly Siegel voted no and Jeffrey Haggerty was absent.

The music cuts were only part of the district's cost-saving measures.

Some of the district's other moves include:

Creating activity fees for sports, clubs and courses in art, technology education, music and family and consumer sciences.

Minimizing new hires by reassigning existing staff for positions vacated through resignations or retirements.

Charging a fee for nonschool groups to use school facilities and lights.

Increasing the fee for use of the adult weight room in the high school.

Reducing the budgets of the music, library and athletic departments by 5 percent.

District officials said the measures kept the tax increase at a minimum and will allow the district to avoid furloughing staff.