District presents budget update; administration proposes 1%–1.5% tax scenarios to close gap

Gettysburg — District business-office staff presented a budget update to the Gettysburg Area School District Board, outlining revenue scenarios and expenditure reductions and recommending consideration of a 1% or 1.5% real-estate tax increase to balance next year’s budget if state homestead/farmstead numbers do not shift projections.

Belinda (business/finance staff) told the board the presentation reflected updates since earlier budget briefings. The administration presented three revenue projections: a 0% tax change baseline, a 1% increase intended to fund a second year of ACTI support and a 1.5% increase that would include additional needs such as salary and benefit increases. Belinda reported that with the administration’s current expenditure reductions and a 1.5% tax increase the district’s revenue and expenditures would balance; without that increase an unreconciled gap remained. "We are still looking for $188,602 so we still have an unreconciled portion of that," Belinda said.

The business office summarized expenditure reductions made since the board’s March 17 meeting: about $725,000 in initial reductions and an additional roughly $176,000 (largely athletic-security costs) identified by April 22 — reductions the presenter said do not eliminate programs or services. Belinda said the district maintains a 6% unassigned fund balance in accordance with policy and noted the administration’s approach of prioritizing student-facing services when making cuts.

Staff explained variables that could change the calculus before final adoption, including the state’s homestead/farmstead figures and final assessment data. The presentation included estimated taxpayer impacts on the average homestead-assessed value (listed as $273,891): a 1% increase would raise the average homestead tax bill by about $31.14 annually; a 1.5% increase would mean about $46.70 annually; by contrast the Act 1 index (4.8% for the district) would equate to approximately $159 annually. Staff said the district would advertise a proposed final budget in compliance with Act 1 timelines and aimed to adopt a final budget by the board’s June meeting and file with the Pennsylvania Department of Education on schedule.

Board members asked for detail about the major cuts and confirmation that counseling, family-navigation and other student supports would not be eliminated; Belinda said the reductions were made as positions turned over and by reprioritizing capital-plan commitments. Superintendent Dr. Perrin and other board members praised the business office’s conservative state-revenue assumptions and the finance-team’s work to reallocate costs while preserving student services.

Ending: The board will receive further budget updates in May and consider adopting a proposed-final budget in time to meet Act 1 advertisement and PDE filing deadlines.

Provenance: Budget update and Q&A occurred in the finance presentation portion of the meeting.