2.65% tax hike OK'd for Allegheny Valley School District property owners

Property owners in the Allegheny Valley School District will be paying 2.65% more in real estate taxes for the coming school year.

The school board approved a $25.8 million budget Tuesday increases the millage rate by 0.552 mills, from 20.8377 to 21.3899.

“We’ve been as conscientious as any district,” board member Larry Pollick said. “We have the same problems as any other school district — roofs, things that have to be replaced and things that have to be built.”

A district taxpayer who owns a property with the average assessed value of $85,900 will pay $1,837 in school taxes, an increase of $47. Those who qualify for the Homestead-Farmstead Exclusion will see a $212 deduction in their property tax bill.

“It’s always hard to vote for an increase,” board member Amy Sarno said. “I think it is very, very minimal. I do not feel that community members feel it largely. … I’m very, very supportive of the budget.”

Voting to approve the budget were Pollick, Sarno, Nino Pollino, Mary Ellen Ecker, Jeanne Haas, Glenna Renaldi and Sal Conte; opposed were Paula Moretti and Nicole Paulovich.

“I promised the constituents that spoke to me and reached out to me that I will vote on how they feel — and that’s what I did,” Paulovich said.

Hamsini Rajgopal, the district’s finance director, had said previously she recommended against the board dipping into a $960,000 unassigned budget surplus to make up a projected $294,000 budget shortfall.

She said it would be better to keep the fund balance intact to help with future capital projects. The board also approved capital improvements for the upcoming school year that include upgrades and updates to technology and facilities.

“Most school districts are raising taxes this season. Most are much, much higher increases than ours,” Sarno said. “We are absolutely one of the lowest at only about half a mill. Also, when I read about what other schools have in reserves, what kinds of projects they have in the pipeline, we are absolutely one of the healthiest school districts out there.”

The school district hasn’t raised property taxes since 2018.

The budget keeps all existing programs. It’s a 4.9% increase in spending from the school year that just ended. Rajgopal attributes the spike to the increasing costs of salaries, health insurance and programs.