Butler School Board Passes Final Budget With Tax Hike

Just what we need more taxes! Do you agree with this hike?

"The Butler Area School District is moving forward with a budget that includes a 3-mill tax increase.

School board member John Conrad voted in favor of the budget during a meeting Monday saying, “No one’s ever pleased with a tax increase and the voters and the constituents have every right to be upset…but it’s not the school board that they should be upset with. They should be upset with their legislators that enabled this to happen.”

Of the $104 million budget, only $100 million is expected in revenues. The remaining money needed to balance the budget will be taken from the district’s general fund.

Board member Bill Halle voted against the budget because he thinks more needs to be done so that the district is able to plan and spend more responsibly.

“I’m just uncomfortable continuing to raise taxes on a community that is struggling financially in a district that is struggling financially. We have to get to a point where we discuss how we’re going to cut our budget and our curriculum and so forth, so that we can maintain the best education we can within the means that we can afford,” Halle said.

A 3-mill tax increase works out to about $53 more per year for the average taxpayer living in the district.

Written By: Ryan Saeler"

Original article here: https://insidebutlercounty.com/butler-school-board-vote-final-budget-tax-hike/