$164M Spring-Ford Budget Will Raise Taxes 2.35%

Photos by Evan Brandt

CHAMPIONS ALL: Undefeated 7th, 8th, 9th, 10, 11th and 12th grade Spring-Ford student athletes recognized at Tuesday night's Spring-Ford Area School Board meeting.

Spring-Ford board member Mark Dehnert cast the only vote against the proposed final $164,444,651 proposed final budget for the 2018-2019 school year Tuesday night.

Dehnert said his vote was because "we're not addressing security in the whole district."

He was likely referring to a previous matter on which he had also disagreed with the majority of the board -- the creation of a new position, coordinator of safety and emergency preparedness.

Dehnert said the job, meant to address safety concerns in an era of school shootings, was a waste of resources and that the money should instead be spent on having armed guards in every building.

Superintendent David Goodin had explained the budget called not only for the new position -- which would include patrol as well as administrative duties, but a second employee who would "make the circuit" among the district's many school buildings.

Dehnert was unconvinced.

James Fink, CFO of the district, said the budget carries a 2.35 percent tax hike, below the maximum 2.4 percent allowed by the state-set maximum.

The new millage rate will be 26.8599 mills, which represents an increase of .6157 mills or $.6157 for every $1,000 of assessed value.

For a home assessed at $250,000, this represents an annual increase of about $154.
School Board President Thomas DiBello said one of the big items this year was the new teacher contract which, Fink said, adds up to a collective 5 percent increase when raises and benefits are considered together.

The other big cost is special education, costs which the state mandates but pays only a small portion.

No member of the public spoke either for or against the budget.

The vote Tuesday night technically advertises the proposed final budget for 30 days and the board will have to vote again at the June 28 meeting to make the budget final.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Champions, Budgets and School Security