Downingtown preliminary budget includes tax hike-Daily Local News 04/18/2011

Downingtown preliminary budget includes tax hike
Spending plan has 2.75 percent rise in property tax

Monday, April 18, 2011
By SARA MOSQUEDA-FERNANDEZ, Staff Writer

EAST CALN — A preliminary budget adopted last week by Downingtown Area school officials increases property taxes 2.75 percent.

The school board set the tax rate Wednesday while allowing for an adjustment when final state budget figures are known.

If the governor's proposed budget cuts on public school subsidies change and more financial support become available, school board President Jackie Fenn said, "those funds would be directly applied to reduce the tax increase."

The board may raise property taxes up to 3.3 percent this year without a referendum. The limit is set annually by state law.

According to administrative liaison Richard Fazio, along with its tax increase and spending cuts, the current budget plan calls for the school district to tap its reserve fund to help close a $2.5 million budget gap.

The reserve fund is typically designated for unforeseen capital repairs and maintenance expenses unaccounted for in the district's annual spending plan. The reserve can also help minimizing new loans.

The school board's first vote on a tax increase cap was for 2.9 percent, with only Fenn and Barbara Hurt-Simmons voting in favor.

The board's second vote for 2.75 percent drew dissenting votes from Thomas Ost-Prisco and Suzanne Simonelli.

This month's board meeting was filled with students, teachers, parents and residents standing shoulder-to-shoulder along the room's walls and jamming doorways. Many pleaded for the board to spare various programs or staff positions. The district's music and arts programs seemed to draw the most speakers and supporters.

Christelle LaRocque, a Downingtown High School East sophomore involved in the chorus program, said, "My experience … and the music program in general has been wonderful. Slowly chipping away will take away from the program, and I feel it would take away from the students. This program has affected their ability to learn."

LaRocque offered an alternative to music program cutbacks that the board had been recently considering. She suggested that if all 3,600 students in music programs from kindergarten through 12fth grade paid a $25 activities fee and band students paid $50, "that evens out to $150,000 exactly."

Simonelli supported a look at implementing or increasing activities fees, but board Vice President Jane Bertone said those fees add up quickly for families with children involved in activities.

Assistant Superintendent Tony Watson clarified that school administrators never recommended eliminating any programs, including music, but have advocated for cooperation and suggestions from the community.

"We have to come up with a creative way" to save programs and balance the budget, Watson said.

Fenn said she was thrilled to hear students such as LaRocque and others offer solutions and hoped to hear more ideas from the community.

Fenn also encouraged residents to participate in rallies protesting against the proposed state budget. Fenn said ralllies are scheduled for April 27 and May 5.

"We need to hear the concern and the impacts that these decisions are having on our communities," she said.

Also Wednesday, school officials announced that the district has received the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International for its 2010-11 budget. The award honors districts that exemplify high standards of school budgeting.

To contact staff writer Sara Mosqueda-Fernandez, send an e-mail to smfernandez@dailylocal.com.

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