Shaler Area approves the 2017-18 school year final budget
Shaler Area School Board of Directors approved the 2017-18 school year final budget, which maintains the district’s commitment to its academic programming, during its June 21 voting meeting.
The $83,836,735 budget includes a 0.7219-mill increase, which will generate approximately $1.4 million additional revenue. The new millage rate will be 23.2819 mills. The increase will add an additional $6.01 per month, or $72.19 annually, to a homeowner’s tax bill with an assessed property value of $100,000. The district recognizes the burden of a tax increase on taxpayers and will continue to scrutinize each expenditure in order to ensure operational efficiency and fiscal responsibility for our school district and our community.
The district was able to balance the budget through the minimal millage increase as well as using an allocation of the fund balance created as a result of more favorable returns as well as cost-cutting measures introduced in the 2016-17 school year. Last year, the district instituted an aggressive attrition model to reduce salaries and benefits without having to utilize furloughs, which is reflected in the minimal increase in overall salaries in the 2017-18 budget. Similarly, the district was able to decrease the budget by $1.2 million by reducing expenditures of supplies, books, natural gas and equipment.
The 2017-18 budget will provide funds for the district to continue its commitment to educational initiatives. The budget will support changes to the English language arts and math curriculums, the purchase of new science books at the middle school and high school level, the Project ACE 1:1 iPad initiative, and technology infrastructure upgrades in all five primary schools, concluding a 5-year infrastructure replacement offset with federal funds.
The largest increases to expenditures in the 2017-18 budget are realized in tuition and transportation, PSERS (Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System) contributions, and debt service.
The district’s PSERS contribution increased by $970,000, which brings total gross PSERS payment to 11.6 million—13.8 percent of the budget—and a net payment of $5.5 million. The current PSERS contribution total is 32.57 percent of payroll. Shaler Area’s PSERS contribution amount will continue to increase to a projected 36.4 percent of the payroll by 2021-22.
The $4.1 million increase to the debt service is related to the 2016-17 restructuring, which saved $4 million in the 2016-17 school year as well as the construction projects at Titan Stadium and the new school on Scott Avenue. These payments must be made through future years.
Through the 2017-18 fiscal year and continuing into the future, the District will continue to keep fiscal responsibility at the forefront and look for creative ways to utilize staff, generate resources and reduce spending while maintaining the authenticity and integrity of our academic programs.
The budget can be found in its entirety on the Business Office page.
Attachments Available To Download:
Posted: Thursday, June 22, 2017