Board OKs $55.9M budget, tax hike

AMITY >> The Daniel Boone Area School Board voted 5-3 Monday, June 13, to approve the district’s 2016-17 budget of $55,591,450, as well as a tax increase to balance the spending plan.

Business Manager Loren Small said revenues were included on the special voting meeting agenda at $53,092,107.

He said the budget approval includes the transfer of $1.6 million from the general fund and the application of $785,000 of new tax revenue.

Effective July 1, the tax rate will increase from 28.96 to 29.70 mills, an additional .74 mills, for a total of $2,970 per every $100,000 of assessed property value.

Property owners currently pay $2,869 for every $100,000 of value.

Taxes have not increased since June 2010, when the board approved a .54 mill increase.

That raised taxes from 28.42 to 28.9618 mills.

Board members Carol Beitz, Connor Kurtz, and Richard Martino opposed the tax increase. Member Scott Potts was absent from the meeting.

The tax increase will add $785,000 to the district’s revenue.

District administration antic-

ipate receiving a total of $30,977,888 in property taxes.

Facility Commit t ee Chairwoman Tamara Twardowski said the approved budget does not include the $500,000 capital reserve amount that was in the preliminary budget.

The board approved on May 9. A preliminary budget of $56,266,830.

Birdsboro Borough Manager Aaron Durso said he appreciates the board’s vote approving a tax increase.

“[Some board members] pledged to never do a tax increase — but that is very short-sighted,” said Durso, adding, “You then leave behind a broken school dis- trict.”

He said the school district has “gone downhill in the last five years” with the curtailment of full day kindergarten to a half-day program, and reduced encore class times (computer, art, music, library, and physical education).

“We’re not talking about [eliminating/ reducing] sports, or cutting music,” said board President Mi- chael Wolfe.

“We’re trying to do the best we can with the limited funds.”

Board member David Rathgeb said the budget does include the new program of an at-risk kindergarten program.

“Taxpayers generate 94 percent of revenue,” said board member Jeff Scott.

“Take that same passion to Amity and Union town- ship meetings and ask what they are doing to increase commercial business. We can be blamed for taxes, but the truth is that our hand is forced by the municipalities.”

Rick Cooper, Amity Township resident, said a new commercial business might begin with the proposed turkey farm, “but people are opposed to it, they don’t like change.”