The Kiski Area School Board approved a $62.9 million budget for the coming school year that slightly increases the tax bill for the district’s Westmoreland County property owners, but decreases it for ones in Armstrong County.

Westmoreland County property owners will see their millage rate go up 0.34 mills to an equalized rate of 90.61 mills. At that rate, the owner of a property assessed at $16,492 — the average assessed value in the county – would owe $1.494.34 in taxes, or $5.61 more than this year.

The equalized millage rate for property owners in Armstrong County’s Parks Township will go down 0.91 mills to 45.31 mills. A Parks Township property with an assessment of $22,760 would owe $1,051.97 in taxes, or $20.71 less than this year.

The state applies an equalization formula to calculate tax bills because property assessments differ among counties.

The total budget for the 2020-21 school year is nearly $62.9 million.

Following May’s budget proposal, Peggy Gillespie, assistant to the superintendent for finance and operations, said the district was expecting a financial hit in the next year due to the covid-19 pandemic. The district is anticipating a loss of between $1.7 million and $2 million, focused in areas of earned income, realty transfer taxes and interest earnings, she said.

Wednesday’s meeting also included the approval of new health and safety guidelines for student athletes and band students to resume off-season practices on campus. The guidelines, outlined on the district’s website, include restrictions and safety measures aimed at preventing the spread of covid-19.

Editor’s note: An original version of this story included incorrect millage rates.

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