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Northwestern Lehigh SD staff propose 3% tax increase to close $2.8 million shortfall
Summary
District finance staff presented a proposed 2026–27 final budget showing revenues of $55,330,895 and expenditures of $58,155,575 (a $2,824,680 shortfall); staff proposed a 3% millage increase (0.6241 mills) expected to generate about $1,067,674 and outlined fund‑balance uses to cover the remainder. Final adoption is scheduled for June.
District finance staff presented the proposed 2026–27 final budget and recommended a 3% millage increase to narrow a roughly $2.8 million shortfall.
At a board meeting presentation, a finance presenter (Staff member) said proposed revenues total $55,330,895 and proposed expenditures total $58,155,575, leaving a shortfall of $2,824,680. Staff said the district is proposing a 3% tax increase — described in the presentation as 0.6241 mills — that would generate approximately $1,067,674 toward that shortfall.
Why this matters: the budget presentation laid out how salaries, benefits and special‑education placements are driving spending increases and explained proposed uses of fund balance to close the remaining gap. Staff described planned uses of reserves including committed and assigned fund‑balance reductions (for example, amounts for health care, OPEB and energy stabilization) and noted final numbers will be refined before the June adoption vote.
Key figures and drivers: staff identified expenditure increases in salaries (roughly $900,000) and benefits (about $1,000,000) and called out a $700,000 increase in professional/technical services tied to special‑education and Digital Academy placements. On the revenue side, local revenue increases and an assessed‑value uptick were cited; staff said some federal Title program allocations decreased (Title I down about $41,000) and described modest state revenue variance tied to reimbursements.
Staff outlined taxpayer impacts using examples from the presentation: for a property with an assessed value of $220,000 the proposed increase was shown as $137 annually; for $100,000 assessed value the increase was $62; for $400,000 assessed value the increase was $249.
Board requests and next steps: several board members asked staff to prepare a five‑year lookback graph showing expenses, local/state/federal revenue and enrollment trends and to provide alternative 'cost‑per‑student' calculations that account for Cyber/charter enrollments and special‑education costs. Staff said the district will refine numbers and asked the board to approve the proposed final budget at the next meeting in June.
Quote: "With the proposed millage increase of 3%, [we] generate 0.6241 mills generating approximately a little over 1000000 dollars," the finance presenter said during the presentation.
Ending: Staff scheduled final adoption of the 2026–27 budget in June and said they will return with the requested five‑year comparisons and clarifications on cost‑per‑student and special‑education cost drivers before final vote.
