Property owners in the Greater Latrobe School District will be paying more real estate taxes in the upcoming year after the school board adopted a 2023-24 budget with a 3 mill tax hike.
The budget includes about $64.2 million in expenditures. The tax increase, approved in a 5-4 vote, will help close a $1.1 million shortfall in revenues.
A 3 mill increase, to 88 mills, would add $81 to the annual tax bill for the owner of a property with an assessed value of $27,000.
Only one board member had previously spoken out and voted against the budget proposed in May. Andrew Repko suggested that the tax increase might be too expensive for some residents.
He participated in this week’s meeting via phone, voting against the budget.
Board members Merle D. Musick and Merle L. Musick also voted against it. After asking to be skipped in the roll call vote, Paul McCommons voted ‘no‘ when his name was called for the second time.
Board members Eric Hauser, Heidi Kozar, Susan Mains, Michael Zorch and Rhonda Laughlin all voted in favor of the spending plan.
School board members raised taxes by 1 mill last year.
