Strath Haven Middle School

The Wallingford Swarthmore School Board voted in a January meeting to approve a $77.6 million  budget for the fiscal year 2016 – 2017 fiscal year.

The budget calls for a 3.9% increase in school taxes for district residents. Last year’s tax hike was 2.56% and increase in the past decade have been in the 2% range. This increase will be the largest since fiscal year 2008 – 2009, when it was 5.8%.

The major expenditures for 2016 – 2017 would be state mandated pension costs, with an increase of $717,000 for an overall total of $4.9 million, rising health insurance costs, and contractual agreements with teachers and other employees which constitute 71% of the $77.6-million budget.

The proposed budget still needs two more board approvals and the district is hoping to trim expenditures prior to final approval of the budget in June.

The current hike if approved would translate into an additional $290 in school taxes for a home assessed at the district average of $179,000. The average school tax bill in such a scenario would rise to approximately $7,730.

Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

The Wallingford Swarthmore School Board is coming closer to the final approval of the district budget for the fiscal year 2015-2016. Last week the board approved a spending proposal with a $74 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The board voted 7-2 in favor of the proposed spending plan despite opposition from the school board president and another member. As currently formulated the proposal would result in a 2.56% tax increase for the fiscal year 2015 – 2016.

Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086