We Saved A TON of Money

From the BCCT.

No tax increase for district
By: MANASEE WAGH
Bucks County Courier Times

The district saved $1 million by cutting down wasteful practices and installing a new air conditioning system.

The Morrisville school board has approved a zero tax increase and a proposed $18.9 million final budget for next year.

The news came as a relief to many residents at the Wednesday evening meeting. Taxes are expected to remain the same as this year, at $3,371 for an average assessed property of $18,000. Individual taxes may be lower if people take advantage of homestead rebates that the state offers from its gaming revenue. The millage rate is 187.3 mills and the value of a mill in Morrisville is $59,059.

The budget decreased by about $1 million from this year, due to several changes. Among them are a more efficient HVAC system in the high school next year and an effort to cut extraneous paper use and other wasteful practices.

As usual, salaries and benefits make up a large percentage of expenditures. Total staff salaries are expected to cost $9.22 million and total benefits should be $2.35 million.

"That's pretty consistent with where we were last year," said business administrator Paul DeAngelo.

Residents asked if the reduced budget means education will be affected.

"I can assure you all the cuts will not change any of the programs we have been doing," said Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson.

Some residents pointed to the disruption of M.R. Reiter Elementary School's operation as well as the loss of two elementary principals and a high school principal as a sign that education has been affected.

After Reiter Elementary closed several months ago due to a furnace explosion, the district ended up saving money in daily operational costs for the school. Students have been placed in other district buildings and eight modular units, which are paid for by insurance. There are no plans to replace three principals who left for various reasons, including a new job and retirement.

Although their jobs have been temporarily covered by other capable staff and administration, the board should think about replacing the principals, said board member Robin Reithmeyer.

In his 2009-10 budget calculations, DeAngelo assumed that Reiter would remain a non-operational district property. If the board decides this summer to sell it, the revenue could be used toward planned or future renovations for the district's middle/high school and other elementary school.

The budget appears balanced for now, but the future could bring uncontrollable expenditures to the district, said DeAngelo. One of the most damaging could be the anticipated sharp rise in future retirement pension contributions, up to 30 percent higher by 2013, according to the state. After next year, DeAngelo wants Morrisville to place $500,000 annually in a fund to avoid asking taxpayers to dig deep for retirement pensions.

The board plans to hear a public response to the proposed final budget on May 13 and adopt the budget on May 27. Details are available on the business page of Morrisville schools' Web site at www.mv.org/district.cfm?subpage=537779 and in district offices at 550 West Palmer St.