Kiski Area School District is raising property taxes for its Westmoreland County residents by 3.2% and decreasing them by 5.5% for Armstrong County residents in its budget for the 2026-27 school year.
For a Westmoreland County home at an average assessed value of $18,275 that means a roughly $75 increase annually.
For an Armstrong County home at an average assessed value of $27,300 that would mean a roughly $86 savings yearly.
The district’s budget for next school year is $73.5 million.
This year’s tax hike for Westmoreland County residents will eliminate a $697,000 deficit the district was facing and bring in an additional $141,000, said Richard Liberto, the district’s assistant to the superintendent for finance and operations.
For Westmoreland County, the budget brings the millage rate to 114.8, up from 111.32 this school year.
For Armstrong, essentially just Parks Township, the new millage rate is 40.9, down from the current 43.3.
The school board’s sentiment on the increase was nearly split, with a 5-4 vote.
Board members Dawn Mellinger, Melissa Kowalkowski, Cheri Croney and Amy Halter voting against it.
Mellinger said she voted against the budget because she feels it will add financial strain to residents, especially those on fixed incomes, and encouraged district administration to look for more ways to cut costs.
“My vote was not against our community or its future — it was a vote for affordability, accountability and assuring that every available option is considered before placing a greater burden on taxpayers,” Mellinger said.
Board members Jenna Rowe, Nicole Kamer, Christina Mease, Steven Litz and Stephanie Jankowski voted to pass the budget.
Board President Jenna Rowe said she felt administration worked hard to cut costs and keep the tax increase below the districts Title 1 index, which doesn’t allow it to raise taxes by more than 4.8% this year.
She pointed out that tax increases each of the last three years comes after five years without any tax hikes, which forced the district to dip into its fund balance.
“We really thought we got good numbers,” Rowe said. “I do think this is what is best for the district.”
Liberto said for the five years that taxes weren’t increased, the district spent about $4 million of its fund balance, which sits at around $6 million now.
“We’re trying to increase our fund balance because we know, someday, we’re gonna have to make some repairs to our buildings because they’re aging,” Liberto said.
Costs and savings
Among the district’s expenses for next year is a roughly $1 million new k-12 English Language Arts curriculum, Liberto said.
Salaries and benefits make up 64% of the budget at about $47 million, Liberto said.
At about $11 million, or 15% of the budget, is transportation and tuition for out-of-district students placements, including cyber charter and special education facilities, Liberto said.
Cyber charter tuition costs, which public school districts are required by the state to pay, continue to rise and will cost the district about $3.3 million next year, Liberto said
“We have somewhere in the neighborhood of about 180 kids that go to charter schools … so that’s a fixed cost that we really don’t have any control over,” Liberto said.
Transportation costs also rose by about $600,000 because the district opted for a new bus company after the old one was going to raise rates by 24%.
“We ended up having to go with another company, which was a little bit less (than the previous one), but it was still a significant increase in our budget,” Liberto said.
The district trimmed expenses by offering an early retirement package to 18 teachers, Liberto said.
Liberto said the district will replace twelve of those positions at lower salaries and is eliminating six outright, saving the district about $900,000.
“It was a one time package, so we’ll also recognize a bigger savings the following year because of that,” Liberto said.
About the Westmoreland County tax hike
Here is what the 3.2% tax increase will mean for a home in Westmoreland county at the districts average assessed value of $18,275.
Current tax rate: 111.32 mills
Current tax bill: $2,023
Proposed tax rate: 114.8 mills
Proposed tax bill: $2,097
Tax increase: $75
About the Armstrong County tax decrease
What the 5.5% tax decrease will mean for an Armstrong County home at the districts average assessed value of $27,300.
Current tax rate: 43.3 mills
Current tax bill: $1,182
Proposed tax rate: 40.9 mills
Proposed tax bill: $1,116
Tax decrease: $66