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Scranton School District presents balanced proposed final 2025 budget, no tax increase proposed
Summary
Finance staff presented a proposed final 2025 budget showing roughly $225.8 million in revenues and expenditures, a $4.1 million budgetary reserve and a carried fund balance around $20.1 million; the presentation said the proposal maintains current millage and does not include a tax increase.
Finance presenter Pat reviewed the Scranton School District's proposed final 2025 budget and told the board the plan balances revenues and expenditures near $225.8 million while maintaining the current millage rate. "So tonight we're gonna just review, briefly the proposed final budget for 2025," Pat said, and later summarized totals as roughly $225,800,000 in revenue and $225,800,000 in expenditures with a budgetary reserve of about $4.1 million and a carried fund balance near $20.1 million.
Why it matters: The budget sets staffing, programs and capital planning for the coming year and will be on public display for the required 30-day review before final adoption. Finance staff said the proposal does not include a property-tax increase and remains under the 8% cap referenced in Act 1 while complying with the district's minimum fund balance policy.
Key details: Pat broke down revenue sources as approximately $75.2 million local, $140 million state and $10 million federal, noting federal ESSER funds have largely expired and some programs formerly ESSER-funded are now covered by the Ready to Learn block grant. He identified projected increases in salaries and benefits (health-care costs up about $3.2 million) driven by contractual obligations, restoration of middle-school schedule staffing, and anticipated hires tied to growing EL and autistic-support needs. The presentation included a proposed borrowing plan (up to $30 million in two installments) for capital projects and a notional $443,000 impact to reinstate six pre-K classrooms (with an estimated $160,000 net 2025 cost).
Board reaction and next steps: Directors asked for additional reconciliations on collections and reassessment impacts, asked how the proposal aligns with PFM five-year projections, and requested follow-up materials comparing the proposed budget to the PFM recommendations. Pat said he will update numbers before the next packet and present adjustments at subsequent meetings. No formal budget adoption vote was taken at the work session.
