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Solanco School Board adopts $77.97 million budget and approves 0.4644-mill tax increase
Summary
The Solanco School Board on June 15 approved a $77,969,509 final budget for fiscal 2026'27, adopted fund-designation resolutions and set an interim millage rate of 13.7352 (a 0.4644-mill increase), with administrators citing a projected year-end surplus of roughly $300,000 and planned uses for the district's fund balance.
The Solanco School Board voted June 15 to adopt a $77,969,509 final budget for the 2026'27 fiscal year and approved a tax levy resolution setting the interim millage rate at 13.7352 mills, a 0.4644-mill increase that the district says would equal about $46.44 per $100,000 of assessed value at the district's assumed 96% collection rate.
Mrs. Tucker, who presented the budget, said the district expects to finish the current year with a modest surplus. "We're looking at approximately $300,000 to the good when the year ends, if everything goes as I'm predicting," she said during the presentation. She also said administrators were proposing designated uses of the fund balance, including $3 million for future facility improvements, $2 million for future debt service and $1.5 million for technology and safety upgrades.
The budget presentation detailed revenue and expenditure trends the district considered in projecting for 2026'27: relatively stable state subsidies, a slowdown in investment income growth, a $50,000 net increase in federal grants, and payroll and benefits representing roughly 63% of the operating budget. Mrs. Tucker noted that rising costs and personnel changes are driving the district's projected gap for the next fiscal year and that the business office plans to transfer funds from the general fund to the capital project fund after the audit to reduce borrowing needs.
At the meeting the board also approved a homestead and farmstead exemption calculation, a commitment-and-assignment resolution for June 30 fund balance designations, and routine financial reports for the general, capital and cafeteria funds. The motion to approve the budget and tax resolution was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the chair declared the motion carries.
The board will file the general fund budget with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and coordinate tax billing with the Lancaster County Tax Collection Bureau as part of the implementation steps described by administrators.
The board moved on to other agenda items, then entered executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss personnel.
