Pleasant Valley proposes tax increase

A preliminary proposed 2020-21 budget in Pleasant Valley School District calls for a 1.035-mill increase in property taxes.

Director Laura Jecker said the increase would result in an additional $145 to the property owner with an average assessed value of $139,709, bringing their total school tax bill to $3,299.

Jecker recapped the district’s most recent finance committee meeting, which took place Thursday night prior to Pleasant Valley’s regular board meeting.

“This is the first step in our budget process,” Jecker said. “There will be many refined estimates in the coming months.”

Monroe County has undergone a revised assessment of real property values. The 2020-21 budget will be the first time the school district will levy its real estate taxes on that revised assessment.

The adjusted Act 1 index applicable to the school district as calculated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education is 3.2%. The preliminary budget proposal assumes that the district will receive approval for use of one or more Act 1 real estate tax referendum exceptions.

The board is scheduled to vote on the preliminary budget at its Jan. 9 meeting.

Ultimately, Pleasant Valley’s tax numbers for 2020-21 won’t be set in stone until final approval in June 2020. The board will adopt a proposed final budget one month prior to that.

Jecker also announced Pleasant Valley’s 2020-21 employer contribution rate to the Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System is 34.51 percent.