Lehighton school taxes will remain level

Property taxes will remain level for the fourth straight year in Lehighton Area School District, according to a recommendation last week from district administration.

Coinciding with the recommendation was the obligatory board vote to stay within the state’s Act 1 index, which caps any potential tax increase at 3.3 percent without seeking exceptions.

Business Manager Brian Feick said the biggest factor in being able to keep the tax rate at 47.88 mills is the consolidation savings the district expects with the opening of its new elementary center.

All K-5 students will attend the center beginning in 2018-19 and Lehighton’s four existing elementary schools, Franklin, East Penn, Shull-David and Mahoning, will close.

“We are estimating a $1.2 million savings per year with the closing of four schools and consolidating into one,” Feick said.

During a public hearing required by the state in 2015 before elementary center construction, Lehighton officials said of the consolidation savings, by far the largest is $850,000 through staff attrition.

“Just in administration alone, we’ll be saving $650,000,” Cleaver said at the hearing. “We have an idea of when people are going to retire. We have no plans to furlough anyone.”

Other savings include the cost of utilities.

“There are things we pay for per building, like utilities, that would go away with a move to one building,” Cleaver said at a prior board meeting. “Our fiber Internet lines are run from the main campus where the administration building and high school are to each of the four elementary schools. Now, we would run one line about 300 yards. Those are the kind of savings we looked at.”

Board President Gloria Bowman, who is leaving the board after Monday’s meeting, credited the administration for following through on its promise to hold taxes stable.

“We said over and over again that the debt service alone would be a rollover and would not increase taxes with our new facilities,” Bowman said. “I can’t predict what the cost of living will be in five years. Nobody can. It’s my hope that the board will continue to work with our business office to hold things stable for our community and our kids.”

Three new members will be joining Lehighton’s board in December and eventually voting on the district’s 2018-19 operating budget. One of the remaining board members, Wayne Wentz, said Monday night he is hopeful the district can continue its track record, particularly when it comes to staff stability.

“Not one employee has been furloughed while this board has been in control,” Wentz said. “Is that going to happen in the future, I don’t know. But what I can tell you for sure is there will be four people up here who support the students, teachers, support staff and administration.”