No Tax Hike in Approved East Penn Budget

With surprisingly little discussion on the matter, the East Penn Board of School Directors Monday night unanimously approved the proposed final 2013-14 school district budget. The $130 million budget will not raise property taxes, calling for a property tax rate of 16.129 mills.

However, Board President Charles Ballard acknowledged that even though the East Penn budget does not increase property taxes, in the end things could still be confusing for East Penn taxpayers whose property tax bills may increase as a result of a Lehigh County reassessment.

“I want to make sure that this goes out loud and clear,” Ballard said. “This is a zero percent tax increase budget. If your tax bill goes up, call Lehigh County.”

No matter how things are settled at the county level, Ballard emphasized, when all is said and done, the amount of property tax money that East Penn gets will remain the same as the 2012-13 year.

School Director Francee Fuller thanked East Penn Superintendent of Schools Thomas L. Seidenberger and his staff and the employees of East Penn School District for making the zero tax increase budget possible. 

“We are sitting next to school districts that are making horrific, horrific decisions,” Fuller said, commending the administration for achieving a zero-tax-increase budget without making cuts to programs or staff. “It is because of the great stewardship of our administration and a region that can support the school district.”

Before lending his support for the administration’s budget, School Director Julian Stolz said that he may have a few suggestions on the spending plan before final adoption.

“I am going to do something tonight that I have not done in my history as a school board member,” Stolz said. “I am going to vote for a budget.”

Final adoption of the 2013-14 East Penn bugdet will likely happen at the school board’s June 24 meeting.