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Tunkhannock board votes not to exceed Act 1 index, strikes proposed exception request
Summary
The Tunkhannock Area School District Board adopted a resolution that it will not exceed the Pennsylvania Act 1 index and voted to remove a proposed alternate agenda item to seek an exception above the index.
The Tunkhannock Area School District Board voted to adopt a resolution that the district will not exceed the Pennsylvania Act 1 index for property-tax increases and removed from the agenda a parallel item that would have authorized applying for an exception.
District staff briefed the board that earlier research and follow-up showed the district was unlikely to qualify for an Act 1 exemption this year. The administration said special education costs had diminished and other expenditure factors would not provide the statutory basis for an exception. Board members were told they could still file an exemption request but staff believed it would be denied.
Following that explanation the board moved to approve the resolution that it would not exceed the Act 1 index and then took a separate motion to strike the alternate agenda item that would have authorized applying for an exemption. Both actions were adopted by roll-call votes.
Why it matters: Act 1 governs the maximum local tax-levy increases for Pennsylvania school districts without voter approval; choosing not to pursue an exception signals the district will not seek an above-index tax increase this budget cycle unless circumstances change.
Board direction and next steps: staff said they had completed the requested analysis and will include the findings in future budget materials; board members who wanted additional detail asked for more documentation to be included in the next packet.
