HERMITAGE SCHOOLS Budget calls for tax increase

A school director proposes to cut an elementary-principal position.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The average residential taxpayer bill will go up $135 a year in the Hermitage School District under terms of a tentative 2003-04 budget introduced by the school board.
That reflects a 4.5-mill increase in property taxes shown in the proposed budget.
The school board and administration, however, will continue to revise the proposed $21,951,670 spending plan in hopes of being able to reduce that increase by the time the budget comes up for a final vote June 26, said School Director James Lumpp.
School Director Tim Ruffo joined the unanimous vote Tuesday to introduce the budget, but he said the district needs to make more cuts.
Proposal
He proposed eliminating an elementary principal position and combining two buildings under a single principal. Hermitage, which has three elementary schools, has had a declining student population for years and is carrying an extra principal, he added.
Superintendent Karen Ionta said the budget reflects the elimination of a full-time and a part-time teaching position at this point, as well as some shifting of staff to reduce costs. That includes reducing work hours for some employees.
She declined to say if the district is considering any staff furloughs.
There have been cuts in travel, field trips and substitute teacher pay, among others, Ionta said, noting that the budget process started with a proposed $2 million increase in spending.
Increase as of now
As it stands now, the new budget, which would take effect July 1, shows a $1,271,000 increase in spending over the current $20,680,670 spending plan.
Major spending increases facing the district include $730,000 more for employee health-care costs, $380,000 in salary increases and $220,000 in additional contributions to the employee retirement fund, Ionta said.
One mill of tax revenue will generate about $217,000 in revenue, and a 4.5-mill increase will produce about $977,000 in new income for the district.
Lumpp said Hermitage has a projected $294,150 carry-over in funds from this year which, coupled with the proposed tax increase, covers the overall spending increase.
The school board enacted a 3.75-mill property tax increase in the 2002-03 budget. One mill costs the average residential taxpayer about $30.
The new millage would stand at 51.25 mills if the tentative budget holds.
gwin@vindy.com