Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Central York SD projects $122 million in revenue and outlines 2026–27 budget choices
Summary
District staff told the Business Operations Committee that projected 2025–26 revenues are about $122 million versus a $118 million budget and presented 2026–27 assumptions, a five‑year forecast and tax-rate scenarios; the board discussed collection rates, LERTA exemptions and accounting changes affecting supplies and energy.
District staff presented the Central York School District’s preliminary 2026–27 budget outlook, saying year‑end revenue now projects to about $122 million compared with the current budgeted $118 million and that projected expenditures for 2025–26 are running roughly $1 million over budget.
The presentation, delivered to the Business Operations Committee, attributed the revenue surplus to stronger-than-expected local receipts — including earned income tax, higher real‑estate transfer taxes and delinquent‑tax collections — plus about $1.8 million in state‑aid adequacy payments and roughly $400,000 booked this year as miscellaneous revenue from an Apple device buyback. A staff member also said interest earnings came in higher than budgeted after a period of favorable investment yields.
Why this matters: the district is weighing how much of its healthy fund balance to use for operating and capital needs and whether to present optional tax-rate increases to approach a budget‑neutral position. The staff presentation included modeled scenarios for 2%, 2.75% and 3.5% real‑estate‑tax increases and noted the district’s Act 1 index is 3.5 (the board previously passed a resolution in December not to exceed that index).
Staff explained expense drivers and accounting changes that affect year‑to‑year comparisons. Salaries and benefits are running below budget, in part because some vacancies were not filled; contracted services are higher largely for special‑education costs when positions remain vacant and outside providers must be hired. The presenter said an internal reclassification moved energy and certain utility costs from object 400s into the 600s (supplies/energy), which makes the supplies line look larger this year and warrants continued monitoring.
Directors pressed staff on several details. On collection rates, staff said the assumed 95.76% real‑estate collection percentage is based on a three‑year average and that newly taxable properties can generate interim bills that yield partial‑year revenue rather than full-year collections immediately. Regarding LERTA (tax‑exemption) impacts, staff said there have been no new LERTA approvals since July 1, 2025, and that five existing LERTA exemptions remain in Manchester Township.
Board members also asked about other line items and prior settlements. A director asked whether an item labeled the 'Harley settlement' still affects calculations; staff said that credit ended this year and is no longer included. Another director asked about insurance‑cost increases; staff said they would follow up with details.
Next steps: staff will continue refining assessed values with updated county data in April and May, revisit assumptions as new information becomes available, and present a proposed preliminary budget in May followed by the final budget (currently scheduled for adoption June 15).
