Proposed McKeesport schools budget includes tax increase
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
Property owners in the McKeesport Area School District could see a slight tax increase for the 2020-21 school year.
Board directors Joe Lopretto, Mindy Sturgess, Tom Filotei, Ivan Hampton, Steven Kondrosky and Diane Elias each voted to approve the 2020-21 preliminary budget. Board directors James Brown and Dave Donato voted no. Director Jim Poston was absent for the virtual meeting, which was held Wednesday night.
If nothing changes when the district passes a final budget at the end of June, taxes will be increased by 0.8 mills, bringing the 2020-21 millage rate to 20.96 mills. One mill generates approximately $761,145 for MASD.
David Seropian, MASD’s recently retired business manager who is helping newly hired business manager Joan Wehner prepare the budget, said properties assessed at $50,000 would see a yearly tax bill increase of about $40.
“The millage increase, obviously, is for issues beyond our control,” Superintendent Dr. Mark Holtzman said. “We have charter school tuition that increases (yearly), we have debt service that increases based on a schedule.”
MASD anticipates seeing $6,960,715 in charter school costs next year, according to the preliminary budget.
Holtzman cited retirement contribution costs as part of the reason taxes need to be raised. The preliminary budget shows MASD will pay $8,922,095 in retirement contributions next school year.
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