Hampton school officials will consider a proposed budget that raises taxes 3.47% next year.
The proposed $68.8 million spending plan would increase the school district’s millage rate from 23.93 mills to 24.75 mills, said Jeff Kline, co-director of administrative services.
A home at Hampton’s median assessed property value of $176,500 would see a $146 increase in school taxes, from $4,222 to $4,368, before any discounts or exclusions are applied.
The increase is just under Hampton’s state-imposed tax increase limit of 3.5%.
One mill of real estate tax is projected to generate $1.77 million.
Parents: Transparency needed with safety funds
Parents have been pushing for more stringent security measures at Hampton over the past months.
Debi Kravets, a parent, said more community members got involved when a middle school student made a threat against the school Feb. 12. Parents were notified, and students were placed on a brief hold in their classrooms at the start of that school day while the matter was addressed.
Kravets said that, while people may think of Hampton as a safe suburban area, “we are not immune to these world problems.”
The budget proposal includes $200,000 in new budgetary reserve funds that can be appropriated for school safety and security enhancements or future capital projects, Kline said. What exactly that money will be spent on has not yet been determined.
District officials noted that, interspersed throughout the budget, are recurring costs for items such as the district’s school resource officer, the security specialist position, student assistance and mental health support, planned safety equipment replacements and software subscriptions.
Hampton school directors established a subcommittee that will present recommendations to the full board, which will determine next steps for the upcoming school year.
“The good news is that they were willing to allocate additional dollars in the proposed budget,” said Amy Demmler, a district parent. “That’s a step in the right direction, but we want to see the commitment.”
Demmler is asking for a comprehensive safety plan from the district and an independent review of its safety and security protocols.
With the allotted funding, Demmler would like to see the elementary level have a school resource officer (a sworn law enforcement officer who is assigned to the school). SROs can build relationships with students which, in turn, can provide a more proactive response to issues, she said.
Kravets said she was happy with the additional funding and hopes it can be spent on an SRO, particularly at the elementary level.
“I would hope they consider increasing that beyond this year,” said Kravets, who is a teacher in the Mars Area School District. “I think they’re way behind what all other surrounding districts are doing.”
Kravets also said some things to improve safety can be done at no cost, like bag checks when students enter school. That could also be a deterrent for things like vapes, she said.
Subcommittee response
District spokeswoman Maria Scanga provided TribLive with a statement on behalf of the safety and security subcommittee. Board members Matt Jarrell, Bob Shages, Jenny Kennedy and Jason Hobbes are on the committee.
The statement said the school district provides effective safety and security practices and procedures. The subcommittee is working toward recommendations to enhance those practices.
“Historically, this effort has been highlighted by a uniquely close working relationship with Hampton Township police department and first responders,” it said. “Community input has been central to this process through two public safety information meetings, attendance at PTO meetings across all five schools, public comment at board meetings, and ongoing email and direct communication with families.”
Messages from the committee are posted on the district’s website. Its meetings are not open to the public and the updates parents get from school officials are vague, Demmler said. Parents also questioned why community members were not included on the subcommittee.
“It’s the question of, what is the right level of communication, transparency and accountability. At the end of the day, that’s what parents are looking for,” Demmler said.
The subcommittee said Hampton has made substantial annual investments in safety and security throughout its budget, like physical improvements to buildings, staffing, student assistance and mental health supports, routine safety equipment upgrades and ongoing software and system costs. Investments were completed with safety and security assessments by state police, it said.
The statement acknowledges that some details will remain confidential for security reasons.
About the budget
About 73% of budget revenues come from local sources, Kline said. About 26% come from state revenues and 0.4% from federal sources.
Salaries, benefits, debt service, utilities and student transportation comprise 87% of the district’s proposed budget, Kline said. Medical insurance rates increase 8.3%, and utility costs will increase 29% from this year.
Like most districts in Allegheny County, the reduction of the common level ratio has a negative impact on Hampton’s taxable assessed value through the county appeals process by the district and taxpayers.
The common level ratio is a state statistic derived annually from real estate sales data. It provides a method to adjust a current sales price to reflect what the property would have sold for in 2012, the last time Allegheny County underwent a reassessment.
In 2022, Allegheny County was sued by a group of taxpayers challenging the accuracy of the common level ratio. As a result, the common level ratio was reduced and this year’s ratio was recently calculated at 50.1%.
District officials proposed reallocating a staff member to serve as an instructional coach at the elementary level based on the success of a pilot program this year and improvements realized at the older grades.
The school board will consider voting on the proposal at its meeting Monday. It is slated for a final vote June 8.