Good thing we're not in the Pennsbury district.
Yet.
Preliminary budget includes $231 tax hike
If approved as is, the tax increase would be 5.3 percent. School board members vowed to work to reduce the increase.
By MANASEE WAGH STAFF WRITER
Manasee Wagh can be reached at 215-949-4206 or mwagh@phillyBurbs.com
The average Pennsbury taxpayer would face a $231 tax increase under the preliminary budget proposal approved 8-0 by the district school board Thursday night.
The $174.5 million budget plan, about $6.3 million more than last year, includes a 7.4 mill increase for the 2008-2009 year. Figures are based on the district’s average home assessment of $31,160.
If approved as is, the tax increase would be 5.3 percent, more than the state mandated 4.4 percent limit. However, the district applied and received approval for three exceptions to raise the tax rate above the state-mandated percentage in order to fund special education and other costs.
The board cited several reasons for the boost.
Besides employee salaries and benefits, which make up about 75 percent of the 2008-09 expenses, special education costs have risen, as have diesel fuel costs and utilities.
Additionally, falling interest rates have negatively impacted revenues, as has the loss of state subsidies.
Although board members approved the proposed budget, they said they would work to reduce the final numbers.
“My target is around 4 percent. That’s what I was hoping for,” said board President Gregory Lucidi.
Some board members suggested focusing on salaries and benefits to control expenses.
“That’s the only controllable aspect,” said member Arlene Gordon.
To reach the 4.4 percent index demanded by the state, the budget needs to be reduced by more than $1 million.
“We’re going to try to reduce the budget without detracting from programs and services,” said district CEO Paul Long.
The district will continue tweaking the budget until the final 2008-09 budget has to be adopted on June 12.
One board member, Wayne DeBlasio, was absent.
Friday, May 9, 2008
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9 comments:
I think there is a blind mentality that if Morrisville merges with Pennsbury, taxes will go down.
Here's hoping that this difusses that notion.
Borows, perhaps what you say is true, but the idea of a merger makes sense for the Borough from many perspectives. First and foremost is curriculum. Morrisville struggles to provide a complete curriculum, especially at the HS level. A larger district would afford many children expanded opportunities. The argument that the small district allows all of the children opportunities for which they'd need to compete is a poor one. What does anyone think is going to happen out in the real world? Morrisville is completely surrounded on three sides by Pennsbury and by the river on the fourth side. And finally, while taxes may not drop precipitously (Although an analysis of the assessments shows they would), Morrisville's school taxes are going to continue to rise as well. What sector of the economy is not affected by the crazy inflation we're experiencing? I know Morrisville citizens like to take the insular view of the world, but it isn't helping.
So then if you apply your reasoning about the merger to ohhhhh say...the little hardware store on Pennsylvania Ave. They are surrounded by Sears, Home Depot and Lowes on three sides. Does he close up shop? He has been here for YEARS serving the residents of M'ville! He should just give up? I just don't buy that theory I'm sorry.
My kids are in Grandview so I can't speak for the curriculum in the high school. BUT I would hope that if I thought it wasn't up to par, I would be in the school talking to whomever would listen. My kids teachers know me...and they know I care about my kids! If there is an issue I am there. Maybe I am in the minority!
Now I'm worried that Pennsbury is going to try to push us into the river!
Dianne, Comparing a privately controlled for profit business to a publicly controlled non-profit school district is disingenuous at best. I'm proud that the Morrisville children perform as well as they do, especially at the elementary levels, but at the HS level, we offer two languages, that's it. We have limited science, social studies and mathematics offerings. It's a challenge to provide specialized instruction for students who perform above and below the norm. There are obvious other areas where we just can't afford to match the opportunities of a large district. All of this, and our costs per student are well in excess of those at larger districts. Back to the local business issue, I am glad to be a supporter of these local businesses, but if they could no longer afford to maintain a profitable business model, they'd close up shop and concede to the Walmarts of the world. Whether we like it or not, that's reality. Emotions and desires aside, if Morrisville could only approach all of the issues with a pragmatic perspective, instead of an emotional reaction, I think we might just have a chance to resolve some of the long standing problems. Wait! What? Now who's living in a fantasy?
Actually we offer 4 languages at the HS, including Spanish, Frendch, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese. We also offer college courses so students who work hard can actually gradte high school with an Associates Degree so that their parents (or they) only have to pay for 2 years of college in order to get a BA. This is not something any other school district offers in Bucks County.
Right now I'm looking through the Bucks County Community College offerings to see how many of the courses can be used by my children as dual enrollment credits for both the high school and college. I don't think any other schools in the area can offer that.
If we merged with Pennsbury, who would everyone complain to when taxes are raised (which Pennsbury does without batting an eyelash)?
Arguements of senior citizens getting taxed out of their homes and against costs of renovations (doesn't Pennsbury have a multi-year plan to renovate many of their schools?) would fall on deaf ears with that board.
Do Sharon Highes, Bill Hellmann, Steve Worob, and Ron Stout think that their complaints to that board would be listened to and acted upon? They will be laughed at and ignored and the only response that Pennsbury will give is "We didn't want you but was forced to take you. So deal with it!"
Morrisville would have little representation on the board (1-2 members) and certainly not enough to sway any type of vote.
Personally, I see pros and cons with a merge. Yes course offerings and extracurricular activity choices are expanded but the attention to the students decreases and the ones that may need the help will fall in the cracks. Parents that are involved know their child's teacher(s) here and work with them in securing the best education that can be provided.
Over the course of some years the Morrisville students will be accepted in the HS but the initial move may prove difficult for some and deter them from being able to concentrate in school.
Property values may increase in town (at least realtors will be able to advertise "located in award-winning Pennsbury district") but possibly never to a large degree due to outside factors such as the downtown area full of nail salons and smoke shops.
I think the people in this town need to be careful what they wish for when it comes to the education of their children. Unfortunately the ones making the choices right now are only looking at the bottom line and not what is best for the students of this district. Something they were sworn to do.
Morris, I don't disagree with your points, but I believe that the good outweighs the bad, especially in the long run. Yes, we'd lose absolute control, but given the way in which the board's been run for what seems like forever, I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing (tongue in cheek - a little). We'd be no different than most of the other people who live in our immediate area in this and many other regards related to representation. While some kids might struggle to make the adjustment, I think you minimize the ability of humans to adapt to new situations. I could easily argue that such a cataclysmic shift is an excellent learning opportunity that will better prepare them for the travails that await them as adults. I also think most of the kids will find their group of friends and mix in a lot quicker than you think. They're kids, and while some will be cruel, some will be misfits, and some will fit right in, that's also a part of growing up. Give these kids a chance to shine on the big stage, and some of them just might. Keep them as big fish in a small pond, and perhaps that's all they'll ever be. The potential benefit to homeowners is larger than you might think, as most of the housing stock in the borough is older and has the 1970 assessment. Much of the housing stock in Pbury is newer and therefore has a much higher assessment. And if you don't think the schools significantly depress property values, you only need to open the paper and look to be proven wrong. So many of the houses in the borough are marvelous examples of early 20th century architecture. These houses would likely increase in value by 50-100K as a result of the merger. That's what they sell for in Lower Makefield.
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