Baldwin-Whitehall School District Taxes Likely To Rise Again

BALDWIN, PA -- For the third straight year, Baldwin-Whitehall School District homeowners owners are facing a likely hike in their property taxes.

School directors on June 14 are expected to adopt the district’s 2017-18 $66.4 million budget that would raise taxes by .36 mills. If the spending plan is approved, taxes on a home with the median property value in Baldwin ($99,900) would increase nearly $36 annually.

The school district increased taxes by 0.83 mills for the current school year. That followed a 0.81-mill tax hike in 2015-16.

District officials have contended that rising enrollment has prompted a need for 10 additional employees. But even if directors approve the tax hike, which would set the rate at 19.61 mills, it won’t be enough to cover the cost of the staffing increase. To balance the budget, the district likely will need to tap into its $4.5 million unassigned fund balance.

Illustration by DonkeyHotey via Creative Commons.