Upper Darby finds more savings in upcoming school budget

UPPER DARBY >> In just one week, the Upper Darby School District found more than $1 million in additional savings for the 201718 budget.

District Chief Financial Officer Patrick Grant reported Tuesday that $1.1 million would be saved through retirements and an additional $190,000 in prescription insurance in the almost $200 million budget. Grant also reported $240,000 in additional subsidies for Social Security and retirement costs.

These announced savings come after Schools Superintendent Dan Nerelli last week announced $500,000 in medical insurance savings.

The overall shortfall for the district started at $11 million, but looks to be supplemented with a projected tax increase at 3.6 percent that drops the figure down to $7.1 million. With the latest budget updates by Nerelli and Grant, the shortfall is now at $5.15 million.

School Director Rachel Mitchell reminded the board that raising taxes 3.6 percent this year over the hold-the-line budget from last year – a budget Mitchell was enthusiastic about and voted for – should be a great concern.

To supplement last year’s budget $6.5 million in fund balance was earmarked. There has yet to be a report on whether all of that money was, or is projected to be, used in the current budget.

Grant said, still, there are variables and other items that still need to be established. Officials in Harrisburg have been mum on any information regarding education funding since Gov. Tom Wolf announced his preliminary budget in early February. The word is that funding will stay at level to last year.

Budget updates will continue through June.