Norwin school budget: No tax hike for 2023-24

Norwin School District will eliminate six teaching positions and one administrative job and tap into the district’s fund balance in 2023-24.

The moves will be made as part of the 2023-24 budget that school board members approved Monday that does not increase property taxes.

The $85.8 million budget was approved on a 5-3 vote. It ensures school taxes in North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin will remain at 85.8 mills. The tax rate includes 1.2 mills of property tax collected for the Norwin Public Library, as approved by a voter referendum.

Directors Christine Baverso, Darlene Ciocca, Shawna Ilagan, Ray Kocak and Robert Wayman voted for the no-tax-hike budget, while directors Alex Detschelt, William Essay and Patrick Lynn opposed it. Essay is a retired Franklin Regional teacher, and Lynn is a Woodland Hills teacher, both voicing strong opposition to eliminating the teaching positions.

Eighteen property owners in White Oak and South Versailles in Allegheny County will see their tax bill drop slightly, by 0.03 mills to 12.78 mills. The millage rates are different in the two counties because of different assessment rates. The millage is determined by the state tax equalization board’s valuations of properties.

The district will cover an anticipated shortfall by tapping into the fund balance by about $4.5 million, leaving an estimated $7.1 million in the fund balance that is not earmarked for specific expenses, said Ryan Kirsch, business affairs director.

The vote came after another debate over if the budget that cuts teaching positions harms the quality of education.

“We are just decimating the school district,” Lynn said.

Essay and Lynn previously proposed raising taxes by 4.5 mills, one of the budget options presented to the board that would have resulted in filling teaching positions that will go vacant for the 2023-24 school year.

Ilagan defended the budget with the teaching positions eliminated. The administrative position that will be eliminated was proposed for Norwin Online Academy.

“It’s best for the students and the community,” Ilagan said.

The board could not come to an agreement on reinstating two kindergarten teaching positions so there would be two all-day kindergarten classes at each of Norwin’s four elementary schools.

Essay unsuccessfully argued all-day kindergarten classes are especially important for students. Lynn and Essay said in May the cuts being implemented would hurt Norwin’s education.

Detschelt attempted to reinstate a music instruction position, but that was rejected as Essay and Lynn opposed it. Detschelt said he voted against the budget “budget hoping that we could reopen discussion to add the music position,” Detschelt said.