Jeannette City School District holds line on taxes in $24M budget

The millage rate for Jeannette City School District property owners will remain steady for the 2024-25 school year.

School directors this month unanimously approved the $24 million spending plan. A deficit of about $615,000 will be covered by the district’s fund balance, which sits around $6 million.

Increased costs related to salaries and benefits for teachers under a new contract contributed, in part to the deficit, officials have said. Costs related to medical benefits also increased by 12%.

The millage rate is 89 mills. School district millage rates in 2023 in Westmoreland County ranged from 84.84 mills in Monessen to 143.65 in West Leechburg, where students attend Leechburg Area in Armstrong County, according to information compiled by the Westmoreland tax office.

School officials said during a tentative approval of the budget in May that a property tax increase may be on the horizon.