Mount Lebanon board previews balanced 2026–27 budget, proposes 3.5% millage increase
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Summary
The Mount Lebanon School District presented a preliminary balanced 2026–27 budget that avoids furloughs and proposes a 3.5% millage increase (1.083 mills) to fund operations; final adoption is scheduled for May 18, 2026.
The Mount Lebanon School District presented a preliminary final budget for 2026–27 on April 13, with district leaders saying the plan balances revenues and expenditures without using fund balance.
"We are happy to report that there are no furloughs, and the budget is balanced," the board chair said at the meeting. Superintendent Dr. Fries outlined the finance breakdown the board will use to finalize the plan.
Administration said total projected revenues are roughly $129.2 million, with local revenue—driven by real-estate taxes and the Act 1 index—accounting for about 76.5% (approximately $99 million). State aid was reported at about 23% (roughly $29.7 million), and federal grants at about 0.43% (approximately $560,000). Personnel services are projected to be the largest expenditure at about 45% of the budget (about $58.4 million), and employee benefits about 30.5% (around $39.3 million). Capital project costs included roughly $620,000 for buildings and grounds.
To balance the budget the administration proposed a 3.5% millage increase, equivalent to 1.083 mills, bringing the district’s projected millage to about 32.033 from the current 30.95. Officials emphasized that the proposal remains below the Act 1 index cap of 4.1% and that final figures may change when Allegheny County issues certified real-estate values and when PDE (Pennsylvania Department of Education) issues homestead/farmstead exemptions.
District staff said the 2026–27 preliminary budget does not use existing fund balance and that the administration considered staffing adjustments, program modifications, attrition, and capital timing to achieve this outcome. The superintendent noted projected increases in health-care costs (about 8.3% for employee health insurance) and several targeted increases for special-education tuition, charter tuition, Parkway tuition, and transportation contracts.
The board voted to advance the finance agenda—including the proposed final budget—to the May 18 meeting for final adoption. No public objections to the budget motion were recorded during the vote; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with board members recording "Aye." The administration said it will update the budget in May when county assessments and PDE exemptions are finalized.
