For the first time in 12 years, the Blairsville-Saltsburg school board budget will contain a tax increase for district residents.
Last night, the board approved by a 6-2 vote the 2019-2020 operating budget, which comes out to $35,791,685. It includes a 1% tax increase for district residents, meaning property tax rates in Indiana County will come out to 16.14 mils, and for Westmoreland County, property taxes are at 110.95 mills. The tax increase is roughly $1 for every $100 of taxable property. Board President Rick Harper talks about the strategy behind the tax increase.
—Board President Rick Harper
Board members Molly Styles and Anthony Canzano each voted no to the budget.
There was a correction to the budget from the one that was given preliminary approval last month. It is a $367,000 correction, which was attributed to just poor bookkeeping. Not only was the correction made, but the board also approved the purchase of Skyward Business Software to make sure a mistake like this does not happen again.
