Hermitage school board cuts tax increase

HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The Hermitage School Board is giving taxpayers back some of the additional subsidy the state approved in the final version of a state budget passed July 6.
Hermitage had enacted a 3.75-mill property tax increase in its 2002-03 budget finalized June 24.
The state budget is expected to provide an additional $126,000 in subsidy funds for the district, and the board felt it wanted to give some of that money back to the taxpayers.
Accordingly, the board voted in special session Thursday to cut the tax increase to 3.5 mills, essentially giving taxpayers back 0.25 mills. That translates into about $7.50 for the average residential taxpayer.
They won't actually get a rebate because the tax cards haven't been mailed out. They'll get it back in the form of a lower tax increase.
Duane Piccirilli, board president, said the board would have given back more but there is some uncertainty about exactly how much extra money the district will get.
The state has cautioned that the $126,000 depends on how the state budget runs this year, he said.
Cutting the 0.25 mill uses up $54,000 of the increase, and the board voted to spend the rest on reducing debt service. The new millage rate stands at 46.75.