Staff Cuts and Tax Hikes Are The New Normal For School Districts Across Pennsylvania
By Mike DeNardo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Pennsylvania school districts plan to address their budget pressures through property tax increases and staff cuts, according to a new statewide survey.
School districts across Pennsylvania are responding to rises in fixed costs, including pensions and charter schools, by: (A) raising property taxes, (B) reducing staff, or, in many cases, A and B.
This is the upshot of the latest school budget survey done by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials.
"The schools have little choice," notes PASBO executive director Jay Himes. "A lack of state support means higher property taxes that are critical and necessary to cover mandated increases in expenditures."
Himes says some of the cuts could be reversed if the state budget ultimately provides more education funding.
The full report is available in .pdf format at http://pasasite.membershipsoftware.org//Files/SurveysAndReports/BudgetReportJune2015.pdf.