Northern Lehigh board adopts final 2026-27 budget and approves 2% tax increase after public outcry over cuts

The Northern Lehigh School District board approved the district's final 2026-27 budget and set a blended 2% property tax increase, directing the remainder of the shortfall to the district's fund balance.

Administration presented a roughly $43 million final budget that includes several staffing adjustments and line-item reductions. Business manager Milo Torres told the board the package includes elimination of a middle school math position (to be covered internally), non-renewal of an emergency-certified Spanish/ESL position, cuts of 2% to building budgets, a transportation reduction of $144,000 and salary-and-benefit savings of $537,862. Administration had recommended a combination of fund-balance use and a 4.32% blended tax increase but the board ultimately approved a smaller 2% increase and directed the remainder to fund balance.

The recommendation, Torres said, reflected a mix of cuts and revenue adjustments: "we cut the Northern Lehigh Police Department by $5,000, professional development by $10,000, and transportation reduction of $144,000," and noted one-time donations and modest revenue increases that narrowed but did not eliminate a remaining deficit absent a tax increase.

The budget drew extended public comment. Parent Dave Hower urged the board to stop calling proposed cuts "tough decisions" and to call them what they are: "cuts to student programs and cuts that impact the teachers and paraprofessionals who work directly with students every day," he said. Community members and alumni also warned that shifting or eliminating positions could reduce course offerings and extracurricular programs, with several speakers pleading to preserve the music and band programs.

On procedure, the board first voted to adopt the final budget (motion passed by roll call). The initial budget-adoption roll call registered five votes in favor and four opposed. After further discussion about the tax rate, a motion to set the blended tax increase at 2% and rely on fund balance for the remainder passed on a second roll call.

Votes recorded in the meeting transcript for the budget adoption follow the board's voting order (as read during roll call): Filby (no), Fedorcha (yes), Husk (yes), Culp (yes), Snider (no), Thompson (yes), Weber (no), Williams (no), Green (yes). The subsequent vote to set a 2% increase produced a different roll call outcome and the motion carried; the board secretary read county-specific mills and per-$100 assessed valuation figures as part of a formal resolution.

The meeting also approved the homestead/farmstead exclusion resolution and a number of personnel and policy items included in the meeting packet. Administration emphasized that some cuts are one-time or tied to attrition and noted a recommendation to use portions of the fund balance for one-time expenditures (math curriculum, certain debt-service payments and healthcare increases).

Board members and administration said more detailed local-data and budget reporting will continue to be available to trustees and, where appropriate, to the public. The board concluded its business and adjourned.

What comes next: the budget will proceed under the approved tax-rate resolution and homestead/farmstead parameters read into the record. Administration said it will return with end-of-year local data in August and implement the staffing changes described in the presentation.