Upper St. Clair School District Raises Property Taxes

UPPER ST. CLAIR, PA - Upper St. Clair property taxes are increasing by 2.8 percent in the 2018-19 budget school directors adopted Wednesday.. The 0.7043-mill hike will raise the tax rate to 25.86 mills.

What does that mean for taxpayers? In a median-valued home of $223,950 in Upper St. Clair, taxes would rise $157.73 or $13.14 a month.

Nearly half of the millage increase – 0.319 mills – will pay for the ambitious capital construction plan that began in the spring. The projects include a new 8-lane pool; a multi-use complex adjacent to the high school stadium and the completion of Boyce athletic field facilities. Construction will be completed in August 2019.

Other capital improvement projects include tile floor replacement in the gymnasiums at Baker and Streams elementary schools; replacement of two gas kilns with electric kilns at the high school; and various maintenance items throughout the district and security camera installation at Fort Couch Middle School.

“Based on parent and community feedback expressing concerns for student safety, this budget includes one additional school police officer as well as school security training,” superintendent Patrick O’Toole said in a district release. “We are also increasing our student support and psychological services staffing.”

The spending plan represents an increase of $3.9 million or 4.9 percent over the current year. Salary increases total approximately $1.5 million and benefits approximately $1.3 million, of which more than $400,000 is attributed to mandated increases to the Public School Employees Retirement System.

Other significant increases include the areas of special education and transportation. The district recently approved a lease for seven new school buses that will have an annual budget impact of approximately $90,000 over a seven-year term.

Image via Shutterstock.

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