LEWISBURG -- Eyeing a recently signed teachers contract that is pushing annual starting salaries to more than $40,000 and an impending 4.8 percent real estate tax hike, Mary Anne Bordwick pressed Lewisburg school officials as to why senior citizens can't catch a break.
The East Buffalo Township woman's suggestion at Thursday night's school board meeting: Freeze teachers' salaries or provide more tax relief.
"With the economy the way it is, why are you giving teachers a raise and adding more (in the 2009 budget proposal)?" Bordwick asked. "Don't you feel anything for the older people? We raised our kids, and now we're paying for other people's kids. The senior citizens get nothing back."
Kathy Swope, board president, said cutting back on salaries -- let alone freezing the pay scale at $41,000 to $64,000 -- isn't likely when the district is dealing with a contract negotiation. Any relief on pay raises would have to be approved by the teachers union.
"It's something they probably won't agree to," said Swope, adding that the school board doesn't have the only say regarding salaries.
Mark DiRocco, Lewisburg's superintendent, said although the district may have the highest starting salary in the four-county area, it doesn't necessary have the highest salaries. Starting teachers in Selinsgrove also will earn more than $40,000 next year, and there are other area districts that have teachers with master's degrees and more than 20 years of experience who make more than $65,000.
"As you go through service years, there are many other districts who have higher salaries," he said.
Adding to the district's budget burden, according to DiRocco, is the lack of federal and state funding the district receives, which is by far the lowest in the Valley. Less than 1 percent of Lewisburg's revenue comes from federal aid and 24 percent comes from state assistance.
"More than 75 percent of the money we spend to run our schools comes from local taxpayers," DiRocco said. "It's probably one of the highest percentages in the region."
Next year, Lewisburg is projected to receive $2.9 million in state funding, which equals $1,632 per student.
In comparison, Mifflinburg is expected to receive $7.3 million, or $3,071 for each student, which is $1,439 more than what Lewisburg gets, according to data compiled by Ron Kabonick, Lewisburg's director of administrative services.
The Shamokin and Shikellamy districts are expected to receive the most in the Valley, roughly $11.5 million each. Those allocations translate to about $4,000 per student, according to Kabonick's figures.
The biggest difference is with Line Mountain, which is projected to receive $5.9 million from the state, or $4,700 per student. That is $3,000 more than Lewisburg.
DiRocco said another hurdle is the high percentage of tax-exempt properties in the district. Lewisburg is projected to miss out on $3.8 million in revenue from non-taxable properties, including Bucknell University, Evangelical Community Hospital, the Post Service, Lewisburg Armory and SUN Children Development Center.
The total tax-exempt real estate makes up 21.8 percent of the district, DiRocco said.
Kabonick reminded Bordwick about the state tax rebate program for senior citizens, as well as the opportunity for her to seek a tax exoneration from the local tax collector.
Kabonick said state rebates can range from $250 to $500 based on income levels.
"I wish there was something you could do," Bordwick said. "All I'm saying is just think of us when you're raising taxes."
n E-mail comments to jnorth@dailyitem.com.
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Woman: Freeze salaries or increase tax relief
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