Keystone Central school board gives final ok to new budget, 3.83 percent real estate tax hike

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – The Keystone Central School Board, on a 6-3 vote, Thursday night gave its final approval to an $89 million budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, a proposal which calls for a 3.83 percent increase in the real estate levy for property owners in the far-flung district.

The board acted on the budget without comment as the final agenda item of the voting session. The measure had first been presented to the board by the district administration in April.

Board members voting yes were Roger Elling, Polly Donahay, Tracy Smith, Jeff Johnston, Butch Knauff and Wayne Koch. Voting no were board president David Dietrich, Elisabeth Lynch, and Rick Schulze. The vote was the same as on initial approval in May, except that Donahay had been absent from that session.

The tax hike will be the first in the district in three years. The budget sets the real estate millage at 13.9 mills in Clinton County, 43.05 in Centre County and 51.86 in Potter County. The district earned income tax and net profits tax will remain at 1 percent. As noted by district administrators in April, the average assessed home value tax increase within the district would be $55 a year.

Only comment relative to the budget on Thursday came from Chris Scaff, a Region One school board candidate. He noted a $15 million budget increase since 2018 while the district enrollment had declined by more than 400 students and indicated the board should not approve the new budget.

The meeting took just over half an hour. The board approved granting superintendent Jacquelyn Martin authority to approve hires before board approval at the next board meeting in July. That motion was approved on a 7-2 vote, Dietrich and Lynch voting no.

The superintendent said the district is considering a field of eight as it seeks a new principal for the Central Mountain Middle School; she said a first round of interviews was completed and a second round to follow. The new principal will replace Dave Peters who is now athletic director/assistant principal at Central Mountain High School.