Greensburg Salem OKs budget with no tax hike

Greensburg Salem property owners won’t see an increase in taxes for the 2022-23 school year.

The school board this week approved a $49.1 million budget that holds the line on taxes at 89.72 mills but balanced it with a transfer of $531,540 from the district’s fund balance. By transferring the money, the district will have about $6.2 million in its fund balance at the beginning of the fiscal year.

Greensburg Salem generates about $221,000 for each mill of real estate taxes it levies.

Director Emily Miller said she did not believe that the board had a sufficient discussion of the budget before voting on it, but ended up approving the fiscal plan.

The district hired two business teachers, and eliminated one of the business teaching positions through attrition. Greensburg Salem was able to reduce that staff by eliminating the digital literacy component from its graduation requirements. The board authorized advertising for two business computer information technology and/or technology education teachers, at a salary to be determined by the contract with the Greensburg Salem Education Association.

Superintendent Ken Bissell said students are learning digital literacy at a very young age with the iPads that the district provides them. Bissell previously estimated that Greensburg Salem would save about $85,000 by eliminating the business teacher position.

Director Brian Conway raised the issue of whether Greensburg Salem students who are 18 be can be exempt from paying the district’s per capita tax of $10 and any wage tax of 0.5%.

“I don’t think students should be taxed for going to school,” Conway said.

Conway speculated that there may be some students who are under age 18 and are being charged those taxes. He questioned who would be checking those tax lists to determine the accuracy.

Board President Jeff Petrosky said he is not certain that is something the school district should be policing.

None of the board members voiced support for Conway’s position on the issue.

The board agreed to hire several teachers, with salaries determined by the teachers contract:

• Two elementary education teachers or elementary education teachers with English language arts or math certifications

• A school counselor for kindergarten through high school

• A special education teacher for kindergarten through high school and a full-time substitute special education teacher.

• A music teacher certified for kindergarten through high school, to replace Melanie Callas, who has retired.

The board also hired two administrators for the new school year and assigned three principals to schools:

• Hired Allison Willis as the business manager at an annual salary of $120,00. She will begin when released from her current employer. Until then, Michael Gigliotti, interim business manager, will remain on the job.

• Hired Kevin Bringe as director of human resources and online learning at a salary of $124,293, beginning July 1.

• Assigned Adam Jones as co-principal at the high school at a salary of $117,745, beginning July 1.

• Assigned Jennifer Kapusta as principal of Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary School in Southwest Greensburg, at a salary of $105,571, beginning July 1.

• Assigned David Redinger as middle school principal at a salary of $105,571, beginning July 1.