Tredyffrin/Easttown Schools To Increase Taxes In 2020-2021 Budget

BERWYN, PA — Taxes are going to go up in Tredyffrin and Easttown townships when the 2020-2021 Tredyffrin/Easttown School District budget is adopted. But how much is yet to be determined.

Last week, the Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board approved the proposed final budget for 2020-2021.

The budget includes $149,858,839 in revenue, $155,683,285 for authorized spending, and $5,824,446 in fund balance transfers.

With spending higher than revenue, the board is seeking to close the more than $7.5 million deficit.

To do so, the board will raise taxes, but it's unclear how much they will go up.

According to the district, taxes can only be raised to the index of 2.6 percent, per Act 1 guidelines. The final property tax rate will not be set until June.

Additionally, the district's administration has worked to reduce the operating deficit by presenting $1.16 million in cost reduction strategies to the board. Reductions will impact departmental and school-level budgets and transitioning from vendor-provided to district-provided school psychologists.

Budget discussions will continue at the upcoming May 11 Finance Committee meeting, which will be held digitally at 7 p.m. A link to the virtual Finance Committee meeting will be available on the T/E School District website by 6 p.m. the day of the meeting.

The 2020-2021 Final Budget and property tax rate will not be set until the June 8 regular Board meeting.

All School Board committee meetings are open to the public and have public comment periods.

Public comments may be submitted to Business Manager Arthur J. McDonnell at mcdonnella@tesd.net or to the T/E School Board at schoolboard@tesd.net.