Even though Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has allowed the current year state budget to pass, local schools still do not know how much funds they will receive.
“We have heard and read that he is going to veto the fiscal code, which determines how those additional funds are spent so we’re not sure what the proportions and ratios are at this point,” Butler Area Superintendent Dr. Dale Lumley said during an interview Thursday afternoon on WISR.
Lumley and other school administrators are already hard at work on the budget for 2016-17, which they have constructed using a flat-funding anticipation.
However, rising costs make it very likely that even with a modest increase in state money, the tax rate will likely need to increase.
“Going into next year, I’d seriously doubt that we’ll be able to meet our budget needs without that millage increase, primarily because of increased costs for healthcare but even more so with the pension,” Lumley said. “Our anticipated pension increase for next year is about $2.2 million.”
The Butler Area School District wants your feedback on this and other issues. All community members are invited to visit the district website, basdk12.org, and participate in a survey before Monday (3/28).
