A $203 million proposed final budget in the Neshaminy School District for 2023-24 holds the line on property taxes.
The school board voted 7-0 at its May 23 meeting to approve the document for advertisement. It leaves total property tax millage at 171.23, or $4,786 in annual taxes for a resident with a property assessed at the district average of $27,948. The board is scheduled to adopt a final budget for next school year at its June 27 meeting.
The proposed final budget presented by Business Administrator Donald Irwin uses $4.3 million of the district’s $23 million fund balance, or surplus, to close the gap between projected revenue and expenses for next school year. Pennsylvania’s Act 1 Index for 2023-24 allows school districts a maximum property tax increase of 4.1 percent, unless they are granted exceptions.
“We do have to be creative in what we’re looking to do and in managing the budget,” board President Tina Hollenbach said.
The proposed final budget can be viewed on the district website, neshaminy.org.
In other news from the May 23 meeting, the board voted to reorganize the administrative structure of the facilities and transportation departments by eliminating two positions in each department and creating one new position in each with a different title.
In facilities, the positions of facilities supervisor and director of facilities were eliminated and the new position of district engineer created with annual salary to be determined. In the transportation department, the positions of fleet supervisor and transportation supervisor were eliminated and the new position of transportation manager created with a starting annual salary of $93,000. Neither of the new positions has been filled yet, Irwin said.
He added that the estimated total savings of $200,000 from the reorganization will be used to pay for wage increases for some skilled labor support staff positions like diesel mechanic. electrical maintenance, plumbing and carpentry.
The board also approved Neshaminy’s $5.3 million share of the $32.85 million 2023-24 budget for Bucks County Technical High School in Bristol Township. The only full-time, comprehensive public technical school in Bucks County, BCTHS draws students from the Neshaminy, Pennsbury, Bristol Township, Bensalem, Bristol Borough and Morrisville Borough school districts.
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