[/size]
QUOTE
[size="4"]5 school districts here win Pa. OK to exceed tax caps
5 school districts here win Pa. OK to exceed tax caps
Staff and wire reports
Five school districts in Lancaster County have received permission from the state to raise taxes higher than their original inflation-governed limit.
The districts, and their original limits, are Columbia, 6.3 percent; Eastern Lancaster County, 4.4 percent; Lancaster, 5.1 percent; Hempfield, 6.3 percent; and Solanco, 5.4 percent.
Officials in those districts do not yet know what tax rate they will propose for next year, but obtaining the permission allows them to exceed the caps if they feel they need to.
The remaining 11 public school districts here did not ask for the exceptions.
The five that sought permission this year mark a sharp contrast to last year, when 12 of the 16 school districts in the county asked for the exceptions, according to newspaper records.
Around the state, fewer school districts will be able to raise property taxes above their inflation-linked caps for the 2008-09 school year without seeking approval from the voters, the state Education Department said Monday.
Permission to go higher than a school district's assigned index was granted to 102 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts this year, compared to 210 districts last year, according to figures released by the department.
The 50-percent decline may be linked partly to school boards having greater sensitivity to taxpayers' pocketbooks amid a weakening national economy, department spokesman Michael Race said.
Education officials also believe more districts have grown accustomed to working within the taxing limitations, given that they have been in effect for two years, Race said.
As a result, fewer districts were inclined to seek exceptions merely to give themselves more flexibility to exceed the inflationary index, he said.
State law requires school districts to keep tax increases within an inflationary index that is tied in part to the statewide average weekly wage. This year, the indexes range from 4.4 percent to 7.1 percent -- higher levels than in the previous year.
If school district officials believe that they need more than their original limit, they can ask the state for permission to go higher.
The types of exceptions to the index the state will consider approving are for costs that are out of a district's control such as for special-education services, health care and retirement.
If the state does not approve a district's request for more room, then the only other option would be to place a referendum on the April 22 primary ballot.
But district officials are unlikely to do so, they have said.
Special-education costs were the most popular referendum exception, granted to 75 districts.
Tim Allwein, a lobbyist for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said the decline in exception-seeking could be linked to still other factors, such as voters electing more fiscally conservative school board candidates.
ˇThey're among 102 of state's 501 districts who get permission to raise taxes above inflation-linked indexes.
5 school districts here win Pa. OK to exceed tax caps
Staff and wire reports
Five school districts in Lancaster County have received permission from the state to raise taxes higher than their original inflation-governed limit.
The districts, and their original limits, are Columbia, 6.3 percent; Eastern Lancaster County, 4.4 percent; Lancaster, 5.1 percent; Hempfield, 6.3 percent; and Solanco, 5.4 percent.
Officials in those districts do not yet know what tax rate they will propose for next year, but obtaining the permission allows them to exceed the caps if they feel they need to.
The remaining 11 public school districts here did not ask for the exceptions.
The five that sought permission this year mark a sharp contrast to last year, when 12 of the 16 school districts in the county asked for the exceptions, according to newspaper records.
Around the state, fewer school districts will be able to raise property taxes above their inflation-linked caps for the 2008-09 school year without seeking approval from the voters, the state Education Department said Monday.
Permission to go higher than a school district's assigned index was granted to 102 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts this year, compared to 210 districts last year, according to figures released by the department.
The 50-percent decline may be linked partly to school boards having greater sensitivity to taxpayers' pocketbooks amid a weakening national economy, department spokesman Michael Race said.
Education officials also believe more districts have grown accustomed to working within the taxing limitations, given that they have been in effect for two years, Race said.
As a result, fewer districts were inclined to seek exceptions merely to give themselves more flexibility to exceed the inflationary index, he said.
State law requires school districts to keep tax increases within an inflationary index that is tied in part to the statewide average weekly wage. This year, the indexes range from 4.4 percent to 7.1 percent -- higher levels than in the previous year.
If school district officials believe that they need more than their original limit, they can ask the state for permission to go higher.
The types of exceptions to the index the state will consider approving are for costs that are out of a district's control such as for special-education services, health care and retirement.
If the state does not approve a district's request for more room, then the only other option would be to place a referendum on the April 22 primary ballot.
But district officials are unlikely to do so, they have said.
Special-education costs were the most popular referendum exception, granted to 75 districts.
Tim Allwein, a lobbyist for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said the decline in exception-seeking could be linked to still other factors, such as voters electing more fiscally conservative school board candidates.
ˇThey're among 102 of state's 501 districts who get permission to raise taxes above inflation-linked indexes.
Instead of approving an increase in the school property tax cap why can't the state do more to help prevent the rising school property taxes.
We need relief NOW!!!