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Bristol Township School Board approves preliminary $179 million budget with 4.6% tax cap increase
Summary
The Bristol Township School District board approved a preliminary 2026–27 budget of $179,059,819 based on a 4.6% Act 1 tax-cap increase, estimating an average homeowner impact of about $196 annually; the vote was 9–0. The plan includes staff attrition, service cuts and use of a property sale to balance revenues.
The Bristol Township School District board on May 18 approved a preliminary 2026–27 budget of $179,059,819 that relies on a 4.6% Act 1 tax-cap increase and uses planned property-sale proceeds to help balance revenues.
CFO Amber Kitchman presented the budget and said rising costs in health care, energy and special education were the main drivers. "We were able to cut salaries and benefits by $1,500,000," Kitchman said, and outlined targeted reductions that she said would avoid layoffs: "We are going to be losing 11 certified staff, 8 support staff, 6 part‑time lunch/play monitors and 1 administrator — solely to retirement." She also listed cuts of $60,000 in technology services and $140,000 in facilities and operations.
Kitchman told the board the district plans to assume certain state funding levels and to use proceeds from the planned sale of the FDR property to close the gap if needed. Under the preliminary proposal, the millage rate would move from roughly 2.26742 to 2.371744, which the district estimated would raise the average annual tax bill from about $4,263 to $4,459 — roughly $196 more per year, or about $16 per month, for the typical homeowner.
Board President Jim Morgan said the board must approve a preliminary budget at this meeting to meet statutory deadlines and that the final budget will return to the board on June 24. After a motion to approve the preliminary budget (moved by Drew DiDonato), the board approved the measure on a roll call vote, 9–0.
The budget presentation emphasized priorities the district sought to preserve, including athletics, co‑curricular programs, cyber and summer programs, and plans to bring some cyber students into the district’s own cyber program. Kitchman also described efforts to reduce special‑education tuition costs through local partnerships and a Lower Bucks Consortium arrangement discussed by curriculum staff.
What happens next: state funding remains uncertain and final numbers could change. The board scheduled the final budget presentation for the June 24 meeting; by law the budget must be adopted by June 30.
Votes at a glance: the board also approved acceptance of a $3,268.24 donation for the Harry S. Truman High School Italian program and certified the Bucks County Technical High School 2026–27 budget of $36,572,626 earlier in the meeting. Those routine consent items were approved by recorded votes in the meeting minutes.
