Unfinished state budget leaves question marks in WM, Reynolds

Jul. 20—WEST MIDDLESEX — Property taxes are increasing at the West Middlesex Area School District, but a delayed state budget leaves school officials with some unknowns.

Under the budget for the 2023-24 school year, the property tax millage increases by 1.5 mills — about 2 percent — to a total rate of 73.1158 mills. This will cost the average property owner in the school district about $28.50 a year, or $2.38 per month, school Business Manager and Board Secretary Mary Sternthal said.

The West Middlesex school board approved the budget June 26.

Before the vote, the school board discussed the need to raise property taxes by a lesser amount instead of avoiding a tax increase and potentially having to raise taxes at a much higher amount down the road.

However, the board members also discussed difficulties that any tax increase could mean for residents.

"There were nine years in the past where we had no increases, and I think now we're dealing with the cost," board President Dr. Andrew Erb said. "But at the same time, if we increase taxes, it's going to affect some people in the community more than others."

But while West Middlesex Area School District has its budget in place for the 2023-24 school year, the state has yet to adopt its budget. It was supposed to be approved by July 1, the same date by which school districts must approve their budgets.

To a certain extent, school officials are already used to budgeting conservatively to deal with delays in the state budget, West Middlesex schools Superintendent Raymond Omer said.

At West Middlesex, state funding makes up about 30 percent of the district's budget. The funds are usually delivered in two-month intervals starting in August, Sternthal said.

If the state budget impasse continued into late summer and early fall, Omer said school districts would begin receiving guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education on how to move forward.

Parents and organizations such as the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials likely place increasing pressure on state legislators to reach an agreement, Omer said.

However, districts are already feeling the budget impasse's effects, including suspension of a state-funded program through the West Central Job Partnership that allows local businesses and agencies to hire students to work and gain real-world experience.

West Middlesex and Reynolds school districts — which are served by Omer as superintendent through a shared-services agreement — both participate in the program.

Reynolds had five students involved in the program, and West Middlesex had two. Omer said he found out Thursday that the program would be suspended as of July 23, and the students would receive their final paychecks July 28.

Although there were no specifics regarding when the program's suspension could be lifted, Omer said current and previously-enrolled students "loved" the program.

"We've had kids work all over the place here," Omer said. "In maintenance, at the bus garage. They got to work with our students, in school, alongside employed adults."

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