KO Approves Proposed 2013-14 Budget

The Keystone Oaks School Board last week approved the proposed 2013-14 school year budget, and tentatively approved a tax rate for next year.

The $35,781,146 budget includes a tax rate of 18.41 mills, but as discussion during the meeting made clear, no part of the budget—including the tax rate—is final.

“While [the budget] is out for inspection, it’s going to continue to change,” said Superintendent William Stropkaj. “The millage rate is a moving target.”

Allegheny County school districts are adjusting tax rates to account for the change in local property values, as a result of mandated Allegheny County property reassessments.

Stropkaj said the rate is set based on current numbers provided by Allegheny County, but that as more information from the county becomes available, budget numbers and the millage rate could change.

The board took four votes to approve the millage rate for the proposed budget. The first three motions failed:

• A motion to adopt the budget with a millage rate of 18.63 failed by a 6-3 vote. This would have raised the millage rate to the limit allowed by the state, with an exception that would allow additional funding to PSERS. Board members Raeann Lindsey, Dave Hommrich, Joe Finucan, Lisa Cancelliere, Gary Alward and Dan Domalik voted against the motion.

• A motion to adopt the budget with a millage rate of 18.41 failed by a 5-4 vote. This would have raised the millage rate to the limit allowed by the state. Lindsey, Hommrich, Finucan, Alward and Domalik voted against the motion.

• A motion to adopt the budget with a millage rate of 18.05 failed 7-2. Robert Brownlee, Thomas Nee, Marian Randazzo, Hommrich, Domalik, Cancelliere, and Finucan voted against the motion.

Attorney Lisa Colautti of the Law Offices of Ira Weiss, which represents the school district, said the Pennsylvania School Code requires school boards to take action on the budget within a specified timeframe. 

If a budget were not passed by June 30, the district would not be able to write checks starting on July 1.

“I realize everyone might not be happy with individual pieces of what’s in front of you,” Colautti said. “That will clearly be amended by the time you make a final vote. The board does have an obligation to come to a vote to adopt the proposal for the final budget.”

Alward said he would change his vote on the 18.41 millage rate to a “yes” vote in order to adhere to the timeline set by the state.

A second vote was taken to approve the budget with a millage rate of 18.41, and the vote passed 5-4. Lindsey, Hommrich, Domalik and Finucan voted against the motion.

The proposed 2013-14 budget can be found on the Keystone Oaks School District website.

Final approval of the budget is scheduled for June 20 at a public school board meeting.

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