No Pine-Richland tax increase expected

Pine-Richland School District’s real estate tax rate is expected to remain at 19.5867 mills, as stated in the 2024-25 proposed final general operating fund budget approved by the school board May 6.

The board plans to vote June 10 on a final budget that includes total expenditures of just over $113 million and revenues of about $105.5 million. The $7.5 million difference will be covered by district reserves assigned for capital improvements.

Major improvements will take place in the next few years at Wexford and Richland elementary schools with the replacement of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. The cost estimate presented at a March school board meeting was between $8 million and $9 million.

At a real estate tax rate of 19.5867 mills, the owner of property with an assessed value of $300,000 would pay $5,876. Properties that qualify for homestead exemptions will have their tax bills reduced by about $220, according to information presented in a May 6 budget update.

Pine-Richland’s rate last changed with a slight increase for 2017-18. Rates in nearby Allegheny County school districts for 2023-24 include North Hills, 19.7 mills; North Allegheny, 19.74; Fox Chapel Area, 20.7352; Hampton Township, 21.85; Deer Lakes, 22.69; and Shaler Area, 24.7084.

In Pine-Richland’s proposed final budget, personnel costs for administration, faculty and support staff, as dictated by various collective bargaining agreements and compensation plans, represent about 64% of expenditures.

The district’s employer contribution rate for the Public School Employees’ Retirement System is 33.9% of salary cost, which will result in an expenditure increase of $697,312 for 2024-25 because of compensation adjustments and additional personnel, according to the budget document.

Medical insurance premium costs through the Allegheny County Schools Health Insurance Consortium will increase by 9% for covered employees, and dental and vision insurance premiums will increase by 5% and 3%, respectively. For Pine-Richland, that means paying $1.425 million more for the next fiscal year compared with 2023-24.

On the revenue side, the district expects to refund $1.1 million during the current school year because of property reassessments for the taxing years of 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Pine-Richland enrolled 4,508 students in kindergarten through 12th grade as of Oct. 1, according to the budget.