BVA approves new budget with tax hike
The increase is much higher for Westmoreland County than Fayette.
The Belle Vernon Area school board recently approved its 2026-27 budget, which includes a significant tax increase for Westmoreland County communities and a smaller one for Fayette County residents.
Board members Jack Curran, Michelle Callaway-Rodriguez, William Hrach, Stacey Livengood, Janis Niemiec, Josh Pollock, Stephanie Quinn and Adam Spitznagel all voted in favor of a 2-mill tax increase for Westmoreland County communities and a .09 mill increase for Fayette County. The only board member to vote against the budget and tax increases was Robert Harhai.
Belle Vernon Area is one of the rare school districts in the state that falls within two counties, and BVA has separate rates for each.
In Westmoreland County, the tax rate will increase from 91.3 mills to 93.3 mills. The owner of a home assessed at the Westmoreland County district average of $21,325.44 will pay $1,989.66 in district taxes, a $42.65 increase from last year or 2.1%.
In Fayette County, the tax rate rises from 20.32 mills to 20.41 mills. The owner of a home assessed at the average rate of $57,797 will pay $1,179.64 in district taxes, a $5.20 increase from last year or 0.4%.
The Westmoreland County rate will apply to properties located in North Belle Vernon and Rostraver Township. The Fayette County rate affects properties in Belle Vernon, Fayette City and Washington Township.
The new budget and tax rates will go into effect July 1.
The approved budget balanced revenues and expenditures at $48 million. The largest expenditures for the district involve salaries and employee benefits. The highest sources of revenue are real estate taxes and money received through the Pennsylvania basic education funding formula.
According to a district statement, the tax increase, increased state revenues and other expenditure reductions helped eliminate a $500,000 deficit included in the preliminary budget that was approved last month.
The district also noted that it had kept the same millage rate of 91.3 mills for Westmoreland County since the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
“Our administration and Board worked diligently to minimize the impact on taxpayers while ensuring that we continue providing high-quality educational opportunities for our students,” Superintendent Dr. Timothy Glasspool said in a statement. “This budget reflects difficult but responsible decisions that protect academic programs, support our staff, and maintain the financial health of the District. While no tax increase is ever taken lightly, this is the first increase in three years and was necessary to address rising costs while preserving the educational experiences our students deserve.”
Board President Jack Curran expressed a similar message.
“The Board’s responsibility is to balance the needs of our students with our obligation to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Curran said. “This budget reflects months of careful planning and analysis. By combining increased revenues, spending reductions, and a modest tax adjustment, we were able to adopt a budget that supports our educational mission while strengthening the District’s financial foundation.”
Chief Financial Officer Crystal Clark emphasized that the tax increase helps maintain adequate reserve balances, which are needed to avoid larger future increases and to maintain the district’s ability to respond to unplanned financial challenges.
District officials also noted that the approved hike remains below the maximum tax increase permitted under Pennsylvania’s Act 1 Index.
