Penn-Trafford board approves $69.95 million budget with 3-mill tax increase after debate

Glenn Leavitt, board president, called the Penn-Trafford School District board to order Monday and the meeting moved quickly to budget and finance, where the board ultimately adopted the 2025–26 budget and a 3-mill real-estate tax increase.

The board adopted a total budget of $69,954,693 and set the district real-estate tax at 93.75 mills, with the Allegheny County portion for Trafford Borough set at 14.39 mills. The motion to approve the budget with the 3-mill increase passed 8–1 on a roll-call vote.

The vote came after extensive discussion about how the district would close gaps under different millage scenarios and how much of the fund balance would be used. Brett, the district’s business manager, told the board that the district had already made cuts and that a 2.5-mill increase would require roughly $250,000 from the fund balance, while a 3-mill increase would reduce that reliance to about $100,000. Brett also said the district had “already cut about $500,000” before the final budget, and that $500,000 is transferred annually into the capital improvements fund.

Superintendent Dr. Harris detailed programs and positions that would be affected under the lower millage. “So I would have to lose 3 SLAs for next school year,” Dr. Harris said, referring to Student Learning Assistants; the superintendent added that two SLAs had already been cut in prior budget moves. Dr. Harris and other administrators warned that fewer SLAs and tutors would reduce the district’s capacity for small-group remediation and enrichment.

Board members also debated the impact of cyber charter payments and state funding. Brett said cyber charter costs are close to $2 million annually and that the district currently has 101 students attending cyber charter programs. Several board members described charter payments and the state funding formula as longstanding pressures on local budgets; one member said the district receives about 0.6% additional state funding under the new adequacy formula, while some districts receive much larger shares under the same formula.

Board members questioned other revenue assumptions. Administrators said the district began receiving rent from a building tenant in April and expects about $20,000 per month going forward; that revenue, they said, could be available to rebuild reserves or be dedicated to capital work, depending on board direction.

A previous motion to adopt the budget with a 2.5-mill increase failed after a roll-call vote. The subsequent motion to adopt the budget with a 3-mill increase carried 8–1. The board then approved a formal resolution setting the real-estate tax rate for the 2025–26 fiscal year at 93.75 mills.

The board included several clarifications during discussion: the state-recommended fund-balance range is about 5–8 percent, and administrators said the district expects to end the year with roughly a 5–6 percent fund balance; $500,000 is typically transferred annually to capital improvements; and rent revenue only began in April, so only a small portion applies to the current fiscal year.

Administrators and board members framed the choice as preserving programs and personnel versus limiting tax increases. Several speakers noted prior cuts already taken (including unfilled teacher positions, reduced tutors, lost paraprofessional roles and decreases to athletic and maintenance budgets) and said the difference between 2.5 and 3 mills equated to modest changes in monthly homeowner cost—roughly $6–$7 per month for the average assessed home, according to board discussion.

The board’s action now sets the budget and millage for public notice and final filing steps required under Pennsylvania school law and district policy.