Residents in Buffalo Township could see a slightly higher tax bill, while Freeport and South Buffalo residents could get some relief if the Freeport Area School District moves forward with its proposed budget.
Freeport Area is a cross-county district, with Buffalo Township in Butler County, and Freeport and South Buffalo in Armstrong County.
That means residents of the two counties pay different property tax rates because of differences in assessed property values.
Butler County holds about 75% of the taxable properties in the district.
The proposed budget would see millage in Buffalo Township increase about 1%, from 189.6002 to 191.5 mills. In Armstrong County, millage would fall by about 5.6%, from 65.1 to 61.43 mills.
If approved, the average Buffalo Township resident with a home assessed at the median value of $22,560 would see an increase of about $43 for a total of about $4,320. As for South Buffalo and Freeport residents, homeowners with a home at the median assessed value of $34,235 would see their tax bills fall by about $125 to about $2,105.
That follows a tax hike this year for district homeowners, who saw their tax bills rise by more than $100 in both counties in an effort to fund a $55 million overhaul of Freeport Area High School.
Next year’s proposed budget would see total revenues of around $41.5 million, about a $1 million increase over this year.
Proposed expenditures will also see about a $1 million increase over this year, sitting at around $40.5 million.
The budget projects about $26.3 million from local sources, around $570,000 more than the current budget; $17.3 million from state sources, nearly $500,000 more than the current budget; and about $500,000 from federal sources, on par with this year.
A majority of expenditures — about 63% — would go toward employee salaries and benefits.
Brad Walker, district director of finance and operations, said the budget was reviewed to fit the district’s “long-term vision” and promote fiscal responsibility.
“The district is making efforts to plan forward through a renovation to the high school, contractual negotiations with both professional and support staffs, other future contractual negotiations, as well as economic factors that continue to stretch budgetary constraints thinner and thinner,” said Walker.
The school board will vote on the final budget next month.
About the tax changes
How a 1% tax increase would affect a home in Buffalo Township with a median assessed value of $22,560:
Current tax rate: 189.6002 mills
Current tax bill: $4,277
Proposed tax rate: 191.5 mills
Proposed tax bill: $4,320
Increase: $43
How a 2.94% tax cut would affect a home in Freeport or South Buffalo with a median assessed value of $34,235
Current tax rate: 65.1 mills
Current tax bill: $2,229
Proposed tax rate: 61.43 mills
Proposed tax bill: $2,103
Decrease: $126