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Franklin Regional officials adopted a 2022-23 school budget this week with a 2.75 mill tax increase that would amount to an additional $95 in taxes for the average district homeowner.

It is the first time in five years that the district has opted for a tax hike significantly lower than the maximum allowed by state law.

The school board voted 8-1 in favor of the budget.

“We’re trying hard to control costs,” Director Scott Weinman said. “We’ve tried out best not to raise taxes to the maximum.”

Director Traci Eshelman Ramey voted no.

“The current model is unsustainable,” Ramey said. “It’s just unacceptable to continue to raise taxes, and it’s only going to get worse. We can say, ‘Oh yeah, we only increased taxes by half the maximum.’ But that number is shifting every year, and it always shifts up,” she said.

The $64.5 million budget has changed slightly, with about $3,800 less in spending and more than $206,000 in additional revenue. Business director Jon Perry said the additional revenue is related to increases in the district’s projected pro-rated share of state basic education funding.

Perry said data are released by the state regularly. That is figured into the district’s calculations for what it can expect in basic education funding.

“We continue to include about 25% of what Gov. Wolf proposed as an increase,” Perry said. “We’re hearing that will be the likely (legislative) outcome. Obviously, they haven’t made a tremendous amount of progress on a state budget, but we’re optimistic that it will be approved by June 30.”

The property tax hike brings the district’s millage rate to 106.36. A mill is expected to generate $355,000 in the coming school year.

Perry said spending has grown over past year by 1.35%.

“In this economic environment, where we’ve seen three to four months of inflation in excess of 8%, being able to hold that line is reflective of the contracts we’ve negotiated over a number of years with district personnel,” he said.

Ramey said the district also should focus on bringing back students who’ve left for charter schools. Since the 2019-20 school year, Perry said, that number has increased by 25 students.

“Correspondingly, the budget line item for those tuition costs has increased approximately $340,000,” Perry said. “So it has certainly been a significant cost driver.”

The school board does not meet in July. Its next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1 in the Murrysville municipal building at 4100 Sardis Road. Meetings are broadcast live on Comcast local access Channel 19 and livestreamed at Murrysville.com.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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