DANVILLE — Despite director Dawn Koons-Gill wanting to cut more than $200,000 from new technology and other expenses, the Danville school board adopted a $32.1 million budget with an average $39 real estate tax increase for 2009-10.
The board, by a vote of 5-4, approved the spending plan during a special meeting Monday night. Voting against the budget were Gill, Megan Raup, Steve Schooley and Barbara Boyer. Approving it were President Allan Schappert, Vice President Jim Moser, Jamie Hosterman, Jennifer Henning and Kellie Krum.
When it came to a vote on the tax rate, Boyer was the only director opposing it.
Because the Danville district spans two counties with different property values and assessment rates, business administrator Richard Snodgrass equalized the increase for residents.
The tax increase amounts to 3 percent, or an increase from 15.737 mills equalized in the Northumberland County section of the district and 16.216 mills equalized in the Montour County part of the district, according to Snodgrass. The earned income tax will remain at 1.15 percent, and the realty transfer tax will remain at 0.5 percent.
The homestead/farmstead exemption will amount to a real estate tax reduction of $119 for each qualifying property.
Gill asked why the district is spending more than $200,000 on new technology during a recession. “People are losing their jobs and homes. This is ridiculous, a 3 percent increase. We have teacher negotiations to worry about,” she said.
Gill asked why the high school would spend $8,136 on calculators, saying students used to buy their own. Why does a high school teacher need an $896 Dell laptop and other teachers need math books costing $1,246 to do their jobs, she asked.
Gill said: “If you guys nail the taxpayers, it’s pretty sad. I won’t do it.”
When most businesses implement technology, they cut staff, she said, giving guidance counselors as an example. When she went to school, there was one. Now, there are six.
“We hire more. Most places cut,” Gill said. “If you don’t have it, you don’t get it. It’s new technology. If it was being replaced, it would be a necessity to do it.”
Raup said Gill could make a motion to cut $200,000 in new technology and other items she had a problem funding, but the original motion for the budget was approved.
Boyer said money for new technology could be cut, money used from a reserve fund to balance the budget and make “a level playing field and no tax increase.”
If the board didn’t increase taxes for the 2009-10 fiscal year, then it would have to make up for it, which could be 6 percent to 10 percent in the next fiscal year, Hosterman said.
Snodgrass said Act 1 limits how much a school board can increase taxes. “You have to look at future years and future building projects,” he said.
Gill also questioned $72,000 for math books at the middle school and the decision to spend $1,246 for a Macbook as opposed to an $896 laptop.
Snodgrass said the district decided some time ago to move toward Macs since Apple provides support for education.
“It is by far the leader,” he said. “We have talked about this for years, and to suddenly (question it) on the night to adopt a budget, it’s like groping for straws.”
“People are losing their homes,” Gill responded. “You’re good because the taxpayers pay your salary, but Celotex, AC&F; and Magee are done.”
Schappert said past boards have taken actions that drive the budget.
“We are hit every day with unfunded and underfunded mandates,” he said. “We have no control over workers’ compensation premiums. We recently approved contracts, one for 6 percent and one for 4 percent, and these are multi-year contracts.”
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Danville school board OKs $32.1M budget
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