Central York board approves advertisement of 2025-26 general fund budget, advances related financial steps

The Central York School District Board of School Directors on May 12 voted to adopt and authorize advertisement of the proposed 2025-26 general fund budget and to provide notice of intent to adopt the final 2025-26 budget at its June 16, 2025 meeting. The motion carried after discussion of revenue assumptions and fund-balance assignments.

Board members and staff said the draft budget includes a 3% proposed millage increase and assumes 1% assessed-value growth in the district’s tax base. “The millage stays the same. That just means our assessed value grew 1%,” said Miss Martin (staff member), responding to a director’s question about how assessed-value growth and millage moves interact.

In presenting the treasurer’s reports, Director McMillan noted investment and cash-position details, saying interest income for the fiscal year had “reached over a million dollars,” roughly $762,000 above budgeted estimates. The district reported revenue and expenditure figures in the board packet: revenue of $3,053,018 and expenditures of $7,989,227 for the month referenced; the packet showed an April 30 general fund cash-on-hand figure presented to the board.

The board packaged several finance items for approval alongside the budget advertisement, and approved them in a single vote. Those included reversing prior fund-balance commitments and adopting new assignments, naming depositories (M&T Bank, FNB Bank and Traditions Bank in York, and Pislaf P and C as presented), approving investment options for the 2025-26 year, exonerating specified tax collectors from further 2024 property-tax collection in listed municipalities, authorizing the York Adams Tax Bureau to receive 2024 earnings information from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue in accordance with section 356 of the Tax Reform Code of 1971 (as presented), and approving membership in PSBA for 2025-26.

Community comment on the budget included remarks from Shauna Elder (taxpayer), who praised the district’s fiscal position and facilities while urging caution on repeated tax increases. “This can’t continue,” Elder said, warning that repeated annual millage increases could indicate spending beyond need.

Board members discussed comparatives with neighboring districts and noted the district’s lack of long-term debt as context for the budget decision. Several directors said they remain concerned about out-year projections and committed to continued work on efficiencies and revenue options to avoid recurrent tax increases.

The board authorized advertising the proposed 2025-26 general fund budget and set June 16, 2025 as the advertised intent-to-adopt date; a final adoption vote will occur at that meeting. The actions taken on May 12 were carried by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.