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Plum Borough School Board adopts 2025-26 balanced budget with 2.26% millage increase
Summary
The Plum Borough School District board adopted a balanced final budget for the 2025-26 school year that includes a 2.26% millage increase; median homestead properties will see about a 0.72% increase (about $1.59 per month). The board and administration said cost reductions and increased homestead allocation narrowed an earlier $400,000 shortfall.
The Plum Borough School District Board of Education on May 27 adopted a final balanced budget for the 2025–26 school year that carries a 2.26% millage increase.
Board member Dr. Anderson said the final package lowers an earlier proposal and narrows a budget gap: “In the March budget workshop, the board was faced with a 2.5 millage increase along with a $400,000 budget gap,” she said. “Subsequently, revisions to the budget included reduction in transportation costs, including a reduction of school bus purchases, vehicle rentals, and fuel costs, as well as technology savings generated through E rate reimbursement and the elimination of underutilized software programs.”
Why it matters: school officials said the adjustments reduced the district’s initial proposal to a smaller tax increase. The administration and board highlighted that an increase in homestead allocation reduced the impact on typical homeowners; the board said the median homestead property would see a 0.72% increase, about $1.59 per month. The board described the adopted budget as “fiscally responsible” and said it aims to keep future increases incremental.
Details and context - Earlier in the year the district faced a larger projected millage change and a roughly $400,000 budget shortfall; the board and administration reported savings from scaled-back transportation purchases, reduced vehicle rentals and fuel costs, and technology savings via E-rate reimbursements and removal of underused software. The board also said alternative revenue increases contributed to narrowing the gap. - Board members and administration emphasized the district’s intent to limit tax impacts on residents; the board described the adopted levy as a modest, incremental increase.
Votes at a glance - Adopt final balanced budget for fiscal year 2025–26 (motion: adopt final budget with 2.26% millage increase). Outcome: approved. (Vote details not specified in the meeting record.) - Appointment of Naomi Casey as the 2025–26 student board representative. Outcome: approved. (Recorded as a board motion and voice vote.) - Consent and committee items (multiple routine approvals across board committees including finance, operations, personnel, policy and others). Outcome: approved. (Individual line-item abstentions were recorded in the transcript for some specific items; where a board member abstained the transcript notes the abstention but does not provide a roll-call tally for every item.)
What the board said next: Dr. Anderson thanked administrators for work trimming costs and asked seniors and others to take advantage of available tax relief for fixed-income residents. Superintendent Dr. Walsh (district administration) and staff were singled out for budget and operational work that the board said made the reduced tax impact possible.
Next steps: The board noted the budget adoption completes the fiscal planning process for 2025–26. The board will continue regular oversight through monthly financial reports and discussed continuing efforts to seek alternative revenues and limit future tax changes.
