EMMAUS, Pa. \u2013 The East Penn School District Board of Directors on Monday heard an update on its preliminary 2026-27 budget that would reduce a proposed tax increase from 4.1% to 3.9%.<\/p>\n
For an average home value of $216,367, a 3.9% increase means a $184 increase; down $10 from the $194 associated with the larger tax increase.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one wants to increase tax dollars; it affects everyone, including myself as a homeowner,\u201d said board President Shonta Ford. \u201cWe\u2019re always trying to find the right balance \u2014 not losing services for our students, maintaining great teachers and staff and administration.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a juggling act, and we want to find the right balance,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m grateful for the work that\u2019s got us to the 3.9%.\u201d<\/p>\n
Board member Joshua Levinson echoed Ford\u2019s appreciation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI appreciate continued efforts to streamline the budget and find ways to provide some relief for our taxpayers in terms of what the next increase will be,\u201d Levinson said.<\/p>\n
He also thanked the administration for \u201clooking for things our operations can absorb without compromising the quality and breadth of our academics here in East Penn.\u201d<\/p>\n
During the informational budget update, district Business Administrator Robert Saul gave an overview of how the district got to those savings, citing accounting measures related to grant expenditures as well as revised estimates for miscellaneous small grants and building-level revenues.<\/p>\n
According to Saul, the district will also see staffing-related attritional savings through retirements and resignations of professional and custodial maintenance staff when the current school year ends.<\/p>\n
Budget revisions have also allowed for $450,000 of previously reduced capital reserve funds to be restored, meaning that there would only need to be a $1.15 million reduction in capital funds transfer under the revised spending plan to balance the budget.<\/p>\n
Under the previous plan with the 4.1% increase, the budget was balanced in part by reducing the district\u2019s capital reserve contribution by $1.5 million, officials said.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Saul said the district is entitled to $250,000 in additional tax revenue according to assessment reports from the Lehigh County Assessment Office.<\/p>\n
He recommended that the district use the funds to further offset the transfer to the capital fund.<\/p>\n
The final budget will be adopted in June.<\/p>\n
Call for increased state funding<\/p>\n