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Mount Lebanon board reviews $129.2 million final budget and proposes 3.5% tax increase; adoption set for May 18
Summary
The Mount Lebanon School District presented a $129,216,926 final budget for 2026–27 that includes a 3.5% real-estate tax increase (projected millage 32.033); administrators cited rising health care, tuition and transportation costs and scheduled formal adoption for May 18.
Mount Lebanon School District officials presented the proposed 2026–27 final budget on May 11, 2026, calling for a $129,216,926 spending plan and a real-estate tax increase of 3.5 percent, raising projected millage to 32.033.
Patricia Connley, presenting the treasurer’s report and budget adjustments, said four minor revenue changes produced the final figures: an updated homestead/farmstead allocation, a small federal Title I reallocation, a $3 rounding change to local real-estate receipts and slightly higher interest earnings. "Mount Lebanon School District's 2026–27 homestead/farmstead reduction is $32,859 per homestead," Connley said, and the district showed a balanced budget without drawing on fund balance.
District officials attributed the need for the tax increase largely to unavoidable cost pressures, including an 8.3 percent increase in employer health-care costs, higher special-education tuition and increased transportation contract costs. The administration said curriculum purchases for elementary social studies and secondary science (approximately $327,000) and other contractual cost increases were included in the proposal.
Under the proposal, a homeowner with a $200,000 property would see an increase of roughly $253.60 per year; a $500,000 home would see roughly $634 per year, according to the budget presentation. Administrators said the proposed increase remains below the adjusted Act 1 index of 4.1 percent.
Board members asked for clarification about revenue assumptions and praised staff for outreach and transparency. One board member said boosting the fund balance is also a goal to improve bond ratings and to rebuild a capital reserve for building maintenance.
The board did not adopt the budget on May 11; administration said the final adoption vote is scheduled for May 18, 2026. The district posted the full budget and supporting materials to its BoardDocs and district business office pages for public review.
