Eastern York board tentatively backs 1-mill tax increase to shore up budget

The Eastern York School District Board of School Directors on Thursday agreed to advance a resolution recommending a 1.0 mill tax increase to the next meeting for an up-or-down vote, after months of budget work and debate over fund balance, state homestead payments and cyber-charter tuition costs.

The board reached the recommendation following a presentation from business staff on updated budget figures and new state information about gambling-board funding that expands the homestead/farmstead tax reduction. Staff said the district’s preliminary budget two months ago showed about a $3.9 million shortfall with proposed expenditures of roughly $61.4 million and revenues near $57.5 million. After administrative reductions and other changes, the presentation showed a budget scenario with a 0.75-mill increase that would leave the district drawing about $1.79 million from fund balance and an estimated fund balance of $6.5 million at June 30, equal to…