In a time of great economic hardship, the Allegheny Valley School Board intends to pass a budget with an unnecessary tax increase (“Proposed budget would raise taxes 2.65% in Allegheny Valley School District,” May 24, TribLive). The board seems to be blind to realities facing taxpayers today.
The district has estimated cash of $22,419,588 with debt of less than $27 million. Since 2019, cash has increased over $11 million and debt has decreased almost $8 million. Unlike most other school districts during the pandemic, Allegheny Valley became healthier financially.
But with all this accumulated cash, the board intends to raise taxes unnecessarily to cover a possible shortfall of $294,000.
This is outrageous when you realize that in 2014 the district set aside (“assigned”) $3 million for future increases in pension and health costs. The estimated increase in those costs next budget year is a little over $306,000.
Why doesn’t the board just commit to use part of that specifically earmarked $3 million that has been sitting there idle for a decade? The board has a hoarding disorder: a difficulty parting with cash because it believes that it needs to save it. If AVSD needs to spend $306,000 next school year, it will still have over $22 million in cash. How much is enough?
David M. Buchman
Harmar