Hempfield Area School Board eyes $114.5 million budget, 4.35-mill tax hike

The Hempfield Area School Board is proposing a 2025-26 district budget of more than $114.5 million, including a potential 4.35-mill property tax increase.

The tentative tax hike would cover about $2.6 million of a roughly $2.8 million budget deficit, with a $172,000 funding gap remaining.

Superintendent Mark Holtzman said the main alternative to a tax increase would be cutting programs and staff.

The board did approve eliminating more than a dozen positions through attrition next year: four reading teachers, five intervention coordinators, four elementary positions, one Spanish teacher and one school counselor.

“There are several areas in our district where we’re overstaffed,” Holtzman said, noting district enrollment has declined from more than 6,000 students in the past to less than 5,000.

Spending is projected to increase by 4.48% next year while revenue is expected to rise by less than 2%.

District business manager Paul Schott indicated Hempfield would not be looking to cover a deficit if it wasn’t facing rising costs for employee retirement benefits and tuition rates paid for students who attend cyber charter schools.

Final figures for funding from the state Hempfield Area will receive next year have not been determined.

The board is preparing to pass a final version of the budget at its June 23 meeting. A session to accept public input on the final spending plan is set for June 2.

The board also voted Monday to advance a schematic design for a proposed extensive update of the high school.

District architectural consultants have come up with a plan for the outer shell of the building, included an addition at the front, Holtzman said. Now the firms will work on interior plans, as the project will involve gutting and reworking the structure.

Holtzman cited a rough estimated cost of $150 million for the high school project. He said district planners hope to have a design ready for bidding by next January.