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Altoona Area School District board adopts 2025–26 budget with 0% tax increase
Summary
After rejecting a proposed 3% levy, the board approved the 2025–26 general fund budget as amended with a 0% tax increase and passed related homestead/farmstead and fund-balance resolutions; the decisions followed discussion of state aid and the district—s $34 million fund balance.
The Altoona Area School District Board of Education adopted its final 2025–26 general fund budget on a substitute motion to keep the tax rate flat, the board chair announced. The board had earlier rejected a motion to approve the advertised budget as proposed, which included a 3% tax increase.
The chair presented the PDE-formatted final budget, which lists expenditures of $125,791,510 and revenues as provided in the packet; the agenda contained a typographical error in the revenue line that staff corrected during the discussion. After questioning and discussion about last year—s unexpected $3 million in state aid and an available unassigned fund balance of about $34 million, a majority of members voted to adopt the budget reflecting a 0% tax increase.
The substitute motion to adopt a 0% increase carried on roll call after the initial 3% motion failed on roll call. The first roll call recorded two "yes" votes and seven "no" votes and the motion failed; the subsequent substitute motion received recorded affirmative votes from the board and was announced as carried by the chair. The board then approved two related resolutions together: the homestead and farmstead exclusion for 2025–26 (at a $256.88 allowance per approved homestead/farmstead at a 0% tax increase) and a resolution to commit unassigned fund balance in excess of 8%.
Board members who participated in the roll-call votes are recorded in the meeting minutes; the transcript records the roll-call responses but does not identify every affirmative or negative reply by a single named voice on each line. The district said the homestead/farmstead figures shown in the resolution packet reflect the 0% rate.
The board—s action ends the formal budget-adoption item for the coming school year; administration recommended adoption as advertised but modified by the board—s substitute motion. The board will proceed with implementation tasks and standard reporting to the Pennsylvania Department of Education under the PDE-approved budget format.
Details recorded in the meeting packet and during the discussion: the administration described the budget in PDE format, and the homestead/farmstead allowance and fund-balance commitment were stated on the record. The chair directed that meeting records reflect the votes and the packet the board considered.
