Schools
Final Adoption of Schools Budget Tonight
The $118.3 million plan would raise average tax bill by $43.
The is scheduled to adopt the school district's 2011-2012 final budget tonight.
The $118.3 million spending plan would raise the average tax bill – of a homeowner assessed at the township median of $22,000 – by $43. It would increase the school tax rate by 1.4 percent or 1.95 mills to 141.4 mills.
The total budget figure is about $4 million more than the current budget.
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District business manager Jack Myers has said the district is facing a $6.7 million increase in expenditures, largely out of its control, along with a $4.5 million reduction in revenues. The higher expenditures include $1.6 million for the Public School Employees Retirement System.
In total, the proposed budget reflects revenues of $115.7 million, with the difference between expenses and revenues addressed by a draw down of $2.6 million from the district's fund balance. Myers has said the fund balance now stands at $5.8 million.
Find out what's happening in Bensalemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The district also is dealing with about $3 million less in state aid, Myers has said.
The budget includes local funding to maintain the district's full-day kindergarten pilot program of six classes – a hot topic over recent months. But there is a chance that state funding will be restored for that purpose.
The budget hearing will be held at 7:15 p.m. at the Dorothy D. Call Administrative Center at 3000 Donallen Drive. The board's regular meeting will follow.
