Northern Lehigh School Board adopts preliminary 3.5% tax cap, sets special meeting to study building project

The Northern Lehigh School District Board of Education on Monday approved a preliminary budget carrying a 3.5% maximum tax increase, setting preliminary millage rates at 26.2543 mills for Lehigh County and 78.4733 mills for Northampton County.

The vote, which passed 5–4, came after the district’s business manager reviewed projections showing a roughly $1.5 million gap in the preliminary 2025–26 budget after proposed one-time uses of fund balance. Administration said the recommended one-time uses total about $1,000,082 for items including network upgrades, a high-school flooring match and middle-school water-softening work; the district’s fund balance stands near $18 million as of the 2023–24 year-end presentation.

Why it matters: the preliminary cap frames how much the district can raise before the final budget is approved in June, and the board said the 3.5% figure is a maximum that can be lowered before adoption. The number also factors into whether the district can absorb an upcoming bond payment schedule tied to renovation and addition options for a possible common campus.

Board discussion and bond context Business staff told the board the first phase of capital work under discussion would require a roughly $500,000 annual bond payment for a 20-year issuance; multiple bond issuances spread over years could raise cumulative bond payments to about $2 million per year when complete if the board elects to pursue all recommended additions. Administration repeatedly said project phasing is still undecided and that the full set of additions—including an addition at the middle school and work at Slatington Elementary—would be phased only with board direction.

Public comment and concerns Residents used the public comment period to press the board on tax impacts and special-education services. ‘‘My $9,000-a-year school tax is going to eat up almost four months of my Social Security,’’ said Bob McGeehan, a resident who spoke during the budget comment period. Others urged the board to pursue smaller repairs over a large bond and to be mindful of seniors and fixed-income households.

Board action A board member moved to adopt a 3.5% preliminary increase; the motion was seconded (the transcript records Mr. Corchin as the second). The roll call recorded five yes votes and four no votes, and the motion passed. Board members and staff emphasized the preliminary rate is not final and may be reduced during negotiations and as revenue assumptions are updated.

Next steps The board scheduled a special meeting for April 28 at 6:00 p.m. (middle school auditorium) to take a deeper look at building options and to receive updated analysis from financial advisors. Administration said decisions about whether to add paraeducators, pursue Open Horizons summer programming, or move ahead with any particular phase of construction must be finalized before the June final budget vote.

The board’s action sets a ceiling for tax increases this year but does not itself change final tax bills; any final millage will be set when the board adopts the final budget in June.