Keystone Central property owners facing 3.83 percent tax hike for next fiscal year.

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – The Keystone Central School District is proposing the district’s first real estate tax hike in three years and based on board comments at the school board meeting Thursday evening, the proposal next month will be given a first-round approval.

Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin and Business Manager Joni MacIntyre provided the board and the public with their detailed recommendation which calls for a 3.83% increase in the district real estate levy for next year.

The administrators offered a budget proposal which included:

Expenditures including additional staff for the district’s CTC program (Homeland Security/Education)…

Expenditures for funding school safety support and matching grant funds…

Maintaining the district general fund balance to produce nearly a million dollars in revenue…

The two administrators noted the district has the fourth lowest real estate millage of the 12 districts within the Central Intermediate Unit and said the average assessed home value tax increase within the district would be $55 a year.

They asked for direction from the board so a final proposal can be voted on at the board’s May 11 meeting. Board members who commented offered their support (board President David Dietrich and member Elisabeth Lynch were not present).

Butch Knauff said, “We have to bite the bullet and if it costs me $55, so be it.” Board Vice-President Roger Elling, who chaired the meeting in Dietrich’s absence, cited the need for school safety and the health of district employees in offering his support for the proposal. The district is faced with an 11.9% percent increase in its share of health care coverage for its employees; MacIntyre said insurance companies are seeing a spike in appointments as the COVID pandemic has passed, resulting in higher costs; the health insurance increase for the district will amount to $1.15 million.

Board member Jeff Johnston charged that the state is not adequately funding public education and was highly critical of state cyber charter schools, noting those schools are part of $8 million a year the district must pay to charter schools. Those who spoke on the issue said they were not being critical of brick-and-mortar charter schools but state law needs updated. Board member Polly Donahay concurred with Johnston’s view.

Superintendent Martin said, based on the board comments, the administration would present their recommended document to the board for a vote at its May voting session. The 3.83% increase is needed so the district can approve a balanced budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. It was noted there won’t be final numbers from the state until the state budget is passed and there has been no indication when that might happen. The superintendent also expressed hope for success in obtaining some significant outside grant funding to assist in planned district projects.

As for those grant requests, Dr. Martin offered an update: Renew America Schools Grant – a $17 million project with the district seeking $15 million in federal funding from the Department of Energy. She said KCSD is partnering with McClure Company for the HVAC/Solar Project and letters of support have been received from several community partners including: the Pipefitters Union, the Clinton County Economic Partnership, the Clinton County Conservation District, the Clinton County Commissioners, the KCSD CTC Natural Resources Program, KCSD CTC Construction Trades Program and the KCD CTC Architectural Drafting Program.