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Mount Lebanon superintendent warns reassessment delay has driven budgetary instability
Summary
Mount Lebanon School District superintendent described steep rises in refund obligations tied to commercial appeals and said irregular county reassessments shift budgetary risks to schools and students, urging a regular reassessment cycle to restore predictability.
Dr. Melissa Friess, superintendent of the Mount Lebanon School District, told council that irregular reassessments and retroactive appeals have increased the district’s refund obligations and strained budgets: “Approximately 77% of our operating revenue comes from local sources with real estate taxes alone, accounting for nearly 64% of our annual budget,” she said.
Friess said the district’s refunds rose sharply after court-ordered adjustments and retroactive appeals, which forced the district to draw on reserves, reduce staff and approve tax increases in recent years. She urged the county to adopt a regular reassessment cycle to reduce appeals, improve predictability and prevent further disruptions to educational services.
Friess also said the majority of refunds in recent years were driven by commercial property appeals and framed regular reassessment as a way to distribute tax burdens more equitably across property types.
