Chester-Upland receivers adopt $186.3 million budget, approve 2026–27 millage rates amid bond questions

The receivers meeting for the Chester-Upland School District on June 29 concluded with board approval of the district's final 2026'27 budget and a roll-call vote setting the real-estate millage at 16.1154 mills for Chester City and 14.2862 mills for Chester Township and the borough of Upland. The board also approved grouped consent items including A1'A47 (business), B1'B10 (personnel) and C1'C12 (business on the supplemental agenda), and confirmed the election of Dr. Chen Morales as treasurer.

Paul Aman, the district's accounting specialist, told the meeting the proposed budget tells the district's financial "story," with a heavy dependence on state funding: in the district's case state revenue represents a much higher share than the statewide urban average. He highlighted charter-school payments (which he said amount to roughly $83 million a year), increasing special-education costs and pension pressures as the largest budgetary strains. Aman presented a balanced budget with total revenues and expenditures shown in the presentation as approximately $186,329,246.

Aman noted the district is considering an Act 1 tax-cap option (a 5.5% increase), which he said would generate about $900,000 if adopted; he asked the board to adopt the proposed final budget for the 2026'27 school year.

Public commenters pressed for greater transparency before adoption. D. Mosley asked for side-by-side comparisons showing what the district actually spent in 2025'26 for key categories (personnel, transportation, support services and debt service) compared with the proposed 2026'27 figures. A second commenter asked for copies and terms of a previously introduced resolution authorizing a general-obligation bond of up to $32 million (item C19), arguing the sitting board lacks authority under receivership to incur debt. Receiver Nichols and staff responded that external advisors (PFM and outside counsel) and state review (DCE) were involved in the process and that the planned debt structure would require additional approvals; they said payment schedules would be posted once finalized.

The board voted by roll call to set millage rates and to adopt the grouped action items; the chair announced the motions carried. The meeting record shows the votes as taken by roll call but does not include individual vote names or final dollar terms for the referenced bond in the public packet. Administration said the first bond payment would not be due until the following fiscal year and that final bond terms and repayment amounts would be posted and shared with commenters once the district has closed on the financing.

Next steps: the district said it will post backup documentation and bond-issuance terms on the district website and provide additional comparative budget detail requested by commenters; the board confirmed personnel, business and supplemental items as approved before adjournment.