(4/25) The cost of Fairfield Area School District’s salaries and benefits could warrant a 4.2% tax increase if other savings are not found. During a presentation to the board in April, Business Manager Scott Wilt said he will continue to look for cost reductions in other areas to avoid such a jump.
Wilt said the board is legally allowed to increase taxes 4.8% under the Act 1 Resolution. The Act 1 index represents the maximum tax increase a school district can levy without Pennsylvania Department of Education or voter approval. The motion does not necessarily mean the board will increase taxes.
A 1% increase will yield $108,000 worth of additional revenue. Wilt said last year a 1% increase equated to $100,000 worth of revenue but Fairfield’s tax assessment has increased.
Personnel is one of the district’s largest cost factors and those numbers are mandated by union contracts. Next year, teachers salaries will increase $249,000, support and administration staff will increase $249,000, insurance will increase $57,400, and taces and retirement contributions will increase $73,400.
Last year, the district raised taxes 3.36%. Fairfield’s current 11.9958 millage rate, Wilt said, is the second lowest in school district millage rate in the county. Gettysburg is the lowest at 11.3974 but Wilt noted that area of Adams County has more commercial development which brings in more property tax.
According to a chart Wilt presented at the meeting, Fairfield Area School District taxes have increased 20.31% since 2017 with annual increases ranging from 0% to 3.63%.
Administrators are also exploring capital projects totalling $539,000 at the following estimated costs: high school auditorium stage curtain, $35,000; elementary gym floor, $130,000; maintenance building roof, $35,000; utility vehicle, $15,000; stadium scoreboard, $78,000; stadium lights, $158,000; and a library refresh, $539,000.
Wilt said the stage curtain is necessary due to the current one being a fire hazard. The elementary gym floor, he said, was proposed last year but denied.
As part of the 2024-25 budgeting process, the district planned to spend $232,000 total on the second phase of a high school gym renovation ($104,000), elementary school playground ($74,000), maintenance shop roof ($16,000), greenhouse upgrades ($32,000), and a middle school gym floor ($6,000).
Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Joseph Herman, who was hired in September, said the department has already gone over budget while only accomplishing two planned projects. The high school gym renovation cost $136,000 and the elementary school playground cost $118,511.
"I am not sure if these were very bad guesses at what these would cost or what the plan was," he said.
Herman said the district’s previous approach of deferring maintenance only leads to the district spending more money in the future.
Wilt’s presentation was the first of many budget presentations that will occur in the coming months. School districts must pass their 2025-26 spending plans by June 30. The process requires two votes and a public hearing.
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