Property owners in the Ligonier Valley School District will not face a real estate tax increase based on the 2007-08 budget adopted Monday by the school board.
The $26.8 million spending plan reflects an $800,000 spending increase. While that's 3.87 percent more than last year, no hike in the millage rate of 69 mills was necessary because of state funding anticipated from the commonwealth's pending budget for the coming year, business manager James Marnell said.
"Increases are anticipated by all state school districts from the state budget. We're anticipating that and we've budgeted for that, as well," Marnell said.
One district mill equals $168,237 and the median assessed value per district property is $16,000, Marnell said.
"The tax bill residents are receiving now will stay the same and property assessments will stay the same, and that's a good thing."
The board voted to appoint Michael Mannion as a board member to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Joseph Ludwig until the next general election. Ludwig resigned because of unspecified health problems.
Mannion, who was sworn in as part of yesterday's proceedings, offered a viewpoint on the adopted budget.
"I think it's really good to see no millage increase, but I would hope this board will look continually at this budget as we go on. Just because money is budgeted, it doesn't necessarily mean we have to spend it," Mannion said.
In other business, the board voted to accept a 2007 tax and revenue anticipation note proposal from First National Bank in the amount of $2.4 million at an interest rate of 3.79 percent.
The next meeting is 7 p.m. July 16 at Ligonier Valley High School.
