DANVILLE -- A budget of $30.5 million for the 2008-2009 school year was adopted by the Danville School Board Tuesday evening by a 6-2 vote.
The budget includes a tax increase of 2.25 percent, meaning an increase of less than $25 to the average taxpayer in the district. The Montour County property tax rate will rise from 8.9 to 9.03 mills and in Rush Township and Riverside. In Northumberland County, the rate will rise from 52.46 mills to 55.32 mills. The earned income tax rate will remain at 1.15 percent.
Salaries and benefits comprise about 71 percent of the budget, said Allan Schappert, board president. He said the precise amount for salaries is not known because contract negotiations with teachers are currently underway.
The vote came following discussion of several line items by the board, including an expenditure of $16,000 for new athletic uniforms and $3,500 for high school students to attend a performance at Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble.
Board member Barb Boyer asked why $400,000 was in the budget for athletics, yet a request for $16,000 for new uniforms was also included.
"I object strongly," she said.
Richard Snodgrass, business manager, said the entire $400,000 athletic budget was allocated for coaches, equipment, game officials and so on, and the request for new uniforms was because some uniforms were 15 years old.
"Well, can you cut $16,000 from some other places?" asked Boyer.
Boyer also thought the cost to attend the BTE performance was high.
High School principal Craig Burger said about 600 students attend the performance, and the requested funds provide bus transportation for them. The performance itself is free.
Board president Allan Schappert said each item requested was reviewed by building principals as well as the entire administrative team before it was placed in the budget.
It was also noted that about $700,000 in requested materials and programs was slashed from the budget.
Voting in favor of the budget were Steve Schooley, Jennifer Henning, Jamie Hosterman, Jim Moser, Kellie Krum and Schappert. Boyer and Darla Koons-Gill voted no. Board member Megan Raup was absent.
Snodgrass said the Act 1 homestead/farmstead exemption would provide a $119 property tax credit to the 4,729 qualified properties in the district. Further, he said the credit more than offset the two percent tax increase in the budget, so that taxpayers would actually pay less in taxes next year.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, a question was raised about a rumor that the board was considering limiting sports and other activities to save money. Schappert said he was unaware of any such discussions.
A second person asked whether it was true the board was considering asking booster clubs to pay for non-conference games, and Schappert again said no.
Near the conclusion of the meeting, Boyer said she felt the board needed to look at transportation.
"We need to revamp routes and have new stops with the high cost of fuel," she stated.
Koons-Gill suggested that it was time to consider a way to "level the playing field between athletics and other clubs," noting that athletics takes 80 percent of the budget for all extra-curricular activities.
"Maybe everyone should pay a minimal amount to participate," she said. "We need to supplement somehow."
Burger said both the National Honor Society and Key Club raise funds for their activities.
"I'm not looking to gouge people," Koons-Gill said. "It's a concern for the taxpayers."
She suggested a $30 or $35 fee for participation.
The only other business conducted was approval of a number of personnel matters.
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School board approves $30.5M budget
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