Finance chair warns of rising mandatory costs; board approves playground additions, a $8,000 feasibility study and selects 2025–26 calendar

The Elizabethtown Area School District finance committee on Jan. 28 detailed budget pressures the district expects for 2025–26 and outlined where costs have grown most: intermediate unit (IU) contracts and contracted special-education services, charter and nonpublic tuition, transportation and utilities. Finance chair (and board member) Strickler told the board that a half-percent tax change equals roughly $350,000.

Strickler said key expense categories have grown markedly over the past five years: object 300 (professional/technical purchased services) rose by about $4.0 million; object 400 (purchased property services) rose about $827,000; and object 500 (other purchased services including transportation and tuition) rose about $3.3–3.4 million. He identified four items in object 300 — IU contracts for elementary and high school, and contracted special-education services — as principal drivers of the rise.

“We will not be able to change the mandatory expenses unless Harrisburg changes state policy,” Strickler said, urging the board to keep the $350,000-per-half-percent figure in mind as it considers potential tax actions next year.

Health fund and cafeteria

Strickler also told the board the employee health fund balance stood at about $186,000 at…