Haverford Township SD previews $3.1 million shortfall in preliminary 2025–26 budget; board approves bid solicitation for Coopertown project

Haverford Township School District staff on March 6 presented a preliminary 2025–26 budget that projects a roughly $3.1 million operating deficit and proposes a 4% tax increase while keeping current programs and staff intact.

The presentation by Mr. Testa, the district finance presenter, showed the Act 1 index for the next fiscal year certified at 4.4% and estimated a total revenue increase of about $4.5 million over the current year. Staff said local revenue (largely school taxes) represents roughly 80% of the district’s revenue base and that a 4% millage increase would move the tax rate from 18.8951 to 19.6509, which the presentation estimated would mean approximately $262 more annually for the average assessed value.

The nut graf: the board was shown that, absent additional state or federal revenue, the district would draw on reserves to cover the gap. The district’s projected use of fund balance for 2025–26 was shown as about $2.6 million, reducing available unassigned fund balance to an estimated $8.265 million (about 5.18% of the budget) — below the commonly referenced 8% cap for unassigned fund balance.

Mr. Testa walked the board through the main revenue and expenditure drivers. He…