Burrell School District mulls 3.8% tax hike to offset shrinking tax base, decreasing assessments

Burrell School District officials say a shrinking tax base and appeals that could lower property assessments are reasons they’re considering a 3.8% property tax hike.

The increased taxes would support a budget the school board will consider Tuesday.

The proposed budget totals about $37.7 million, said district Business Manager Jennifer Callahan.

The property tax increase included in the proposal is 4.5 mills, from 117.5 to 122 mills, Callahan said.

One mill generates roughly $150,000 in revenue.

“The single biggest issue that we’re facing as a district is we don’t have the growth in our real estate, and we have the decrease due to the appeals,” she said.

Callahan said that, over the past several years, Burrell has faced a consistent decline in total assessed value, driven largely by successful tax appeals from large commercial properties.

Since 2023, appeals from businesses including Arconic, Hillcrest Shopping Center, Siemens and Elias Plastics have reduced the district’s total assessed value by millions of dollars, she said. In turn, that decreases annual revenue to the school district by more than $700,000, she said.

Burrell’s total assessed value is lower than it was in the 2011-12 school year, Callahan said, and costs for health care, transportation, special education, staffing and facility maintenance have increased.

The proposal allocates $702,000 for cyber or charter school tuition, a 19% increase from this school year. Callahan estimates 38 students will attend a cyber or charter school next year. There were 35 students budgeted this year.

The district budgeted $183,700 for its own virtual learning options for students, which are its eAcademy and the Alle-Kiski Academy of Excellence.

An armed security guard at Charles A. Huston Middle School and security coverage for all after-school events is also included in the budget.

Also in the upcoming months, the school board will consider a multimillion-dollar realignment plan at Huston Middle and Bon Air Elementary due to the closure of Stewart Elementary School.

In addition, heating and cooling upgrades at Burrell High School are also being considered. At this point, the board has only committed to boiler replacements at the high school.

The school board closed Stewart last fall because of declining enrollment, costly infrastructure upgrades and the opportunity to focus district resources in four buildings instead of three.

Callahan estimates the district will save $145,000 by closing Stewart, but a full value of savings won’t be realized until the property is sold.

District officials have said they plan to sell the building, ideally to a taxable entity to increase tax revenue for Lower Burrell and the school district.