Littlestown Area School Board hiked taxed 2.75 percent when adopting the 2023-2024 budget in a 6-1 vote. Board member Jeanne Ewen cast the lone dissenting vote.
“I voted against the budget due to the tax increase that was included. In these tough economic times with inflation sky high and with the cost of everything going up, we should not be raising taxes, especially with the number of senior citizens we have who live on fixed incomes within our district,” said Ewen.
A total of 2.2 percent of the increase will go towards the middle and high school consolidation and expansion project. The remaining 0.55 percent of the tax increase will go directly towards district operations.
The tax increase of 0.3588 mills will generate an additional $470,620 in tax revenue for the district. Homeowners in the district with a home accessed at $270,000, the average for the district, will pay an additional $96.84 in real estate taxes to the school district in the coming school year.
The budget as approved includes a $1,171,128 deficit, which will be covered by the district’s fund balance.
The district projects expenses at $39,168,514 with $37,997,386 in revenue. According to state law, the school district budget must be balanced; the deficit will come from the Unassigned Fund Balance.
Major budgetary increases include a 4 percent hike for support staff totaling $76,000; an increase of $157,000 in contracted transportation costs; and a $132,000 increase categorized as “inflation expense” related to utilities, fuel, and supplies price increases.
The payroll increase for teaching assistants and personal care assistants within the district was necessary to assist in hiring/retaining staff in these positions, said Littlestown Area School District Superintendent Chris Bigger.
“The district has had difficulties recently with the hiring and retaining of staff and this increase will allow the district to stay competitive with our neighboring districts,” said Bigger.
The district’s budget also includes using $800,000 in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funding (ESSER), the federal program administrated by the Department of Education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced on May 1 that the district will receive $1,131,712 in tax relief for Homestead exclusions. This amount is a very slight increase over last year’s $1,129,916.
The board also agreed to allow Jaguar Commercial Real Estate LLC of Hanover to represent the district in a potential sale of approximately six acres of land near the district’s transportation hub located at 162 Newark St., Littlestown.
In a separate real estate agreement, the district voted to approve the public listing of approximately eight acres of land east of the high school softball field adjacent to Smith Circle.
Both of these measures passed in a 6-1 vote with Ewen voting against both moves.
“Land that is owned by this district is a clear asset and I am against selling that asset, you never know when the district will need more property for future projects,” said Ewen.
Bittle Named Football Coach
During the appointment of sports coaches for the upcoming seasons, Corey Bittle was officially named as the new Littlestown High School varsity football coach.
Bittle takes over for legendary coach Mike Lippy who retired at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Bittle served as a long-time assistant under Lippy and has also coached the Thunderbolts track and field teams for a number of years. (See Page B1 in today’s Gettysburg Times for more details on the hiring of Coach Bittle).
Germany Twp. Tax Collector
Following the resignation of the Germany Township tax collector, the board approved allowing the Adams County treasurer to collect taxes for Germany Township for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The township tax collector resigned earlier this year and the county will now collect township taxes as of July 1. Germany Township officials hope to have a new tax collector in place by the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
In other action, the board upheld a long-time annual precedent approving the use of district facilities by the American Red Cross in the event of a local emergency.
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