No real estate tax increase in Baldwin-Whitehall’s proposed 2025-26 budget

Baldwin-Whitehall School District’s proposed final budget for 2025-26 calls for no increase in the real estate tax rate.

The school board unanimously approved the proposed spending plan May 7. A vote on adoption of the final budget, which maintains the rate at 25 mills, is scheduled for June 11.

According to information presented at the May meeting, the district is implementing no cuts to staffing or programs.

The proposed budget includes estimates of $90.912 million in expenses and $90.676 million in revenues, with money from the district’s unassigned fund balance making up the difference.

Revenue from local sources is estimated at $53.477 million, with a net of $43.547 million generated by real estate taxes, taking into account relief for homestead exclusions and 92.75% collection rate.

The district budgeted for revenue from the state based on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget for 2025-26 as announced in February, according to Mark Cherpak, director of finance and operations. Going by those numbers, Baldwin-Whitehall is to receive $23.946 million, up $2.886 million (13.7%) over the current year.

Most of the increase is attributable to a 70.2% boost in money from the Department of Education’s Ready to Learn Block Grant program, with $6.380 million earmarked for Baldwin-Whitehall. Among Allegheny County school districts, the department lists only Pittsburgh Public as obtaining more.

Cherpak, though, cautioned that the numbers could change when the Legislature adopts the state’s final 2025-26 budget.

“That probably won’t be decided before June 30, so we’ll have to pass our final budget not knowing if that money is actually going to be there,” he said on May 7.

He cited several other unknowns for the district between then and the scheduled budget adoption, including the status of federal funding, number of eligible homestead/farmstead properties, effects of appeals on assessed property values and changes in staffing.

In addition, the six-year collective bargaining agreement between the district and the Baldwin-Whitehall Education Association, representing teachers and other professional employees, expires June 30.

Personnel services account for a major portion of expenditures in the proposed budget, which includes $35.076 million in salaries and $26.794 million in employee benefits.

Cherpak said that health insurance is rising by 5.7%, and vision and dental by 3%. Worker’s compensation insurance is facing an increase, as well.

A copy of the proposed final budget is available at bwschools.net/school-board/budget.