If approved, final budget would come with tax increase for Bellefonte Area residents

The Bellefonte Area school board will vote on a 2016-17 budget of $48.825 million that could come with a tax increase.

It meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Bellefonte Area Middle School cafeteria.

According to a report from the district, if approved, 38.3 percent of that budget would go toward salaries, 28.1 percent would go toward benefits and 13.1 percent would go toward other purchased services.

Those are the three largest chunks of budget costs, according to a district report.

However, the more than a million-dollar budget increase from the current year would mean a 1 percent millage increase to residents.

The report said the average homeowner could expect to pay $2,445.90 in annual taxes, if the budget is passed. That’s $25.19 more a year than the current school year.

The average assessed home in the Bellefonte Area School District is valued at $50,437, district director of fiscal affairs Ken Bean said.

The board is also looking to vote on an athletics and food service budget.

Athletics for the 2016-17 school year could cost the district $635,000 — an 8.2 percent increase from 2015-16, and food service could cost the district $1.57 million.

A report from the district said administrators do not expect to make money next school year from food service profits.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 5:16 PM with the headline "If approved, final budget would come with tax increase for Bellefonte Area residents."