NO TAX INCREASE AT NA SCHOOLS COMMITTEE

We have been meeting since March 2011 ever since the $40,000 Bump in teachers pay after 15 years of service came to light.
North Allegheny School District raised our taxes 3.95% last year. This year again, they are looking at a tax increase, the final figure will be known at their June 22, 11 Meeting.
The salaries and benefits at $91.4 Million represent 75.4% of the budget in the current year. The proposed budget for next year, starting on July 1, 2011 has salaries and benefits at 75.8% of the Budget, a small uptick. Unless the NA School Board brings salaries and benefits under control, we are going to be looking at tax increases every year from now till 2015. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with the Teachers Union which extends the current teachers contract to 2015. Next year, 31 teachers hit the $40,000 Bump step, adding $1.75 Million to the next years' budget and a potential for tax increase for all of us.
In the interim, the Reassessment Notices are coming after July 1, 11 and some of us are going to face a big impact of rising taxes from Reassessments also.
Our No Tax Increase at NA Committee is going to be presenting its arguments to the NA School Board at their next meetnig on May 25, 2011.