The Brandywine Board of Education unanimously approved a 2.4 percent tax hike for fiscal year 2010, setting the tax rate at $1.8215 on each $1,000 of real assessed property value.
The vote came at the board’s three-and-a-half hour June 29 meeting and included a 4-cent increase to the tuition tax and a .3-cent increase because of the last two referenda, said David Blowman, chief financial officer.
But uncertainty surrounded the board’s discussions because of the status of the state’s budget, which will not be finalized until July 1.
| FY 2010 tax breakdown
Current expense: $0.8210 |
Blowman cautioned that the minor cap tax rate could be increased by as much as 1.5 cents depending on how much money the district receives from the state. The minor cap tax rate is the only other rate the board can change without a referendum.
The board also unanimously approved a preliminary budget for 2010 which listed $152,847,787 of revenue and $147,361,882 of expenses. But Blowman said that budget is nothing more than a template and will be revised after the state budget is finalized. A more accurate budget will be presented to the board in August, he said.
The board’s next regular meeting will be on July 27 at 7 p.m. at the administration building at 1000 Pennsylvania Ave. in Claymont.
Other business
The board approved moving the district office to Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, which Superintendent Jim Scanlon said has the most space for the administration. If there is not enough space at Mt. Pleasant, some administrative staff could be housed at Claymont Elementary School, he said.
Personnel files
Cheryl Siskin was sworn in to a five year term
Debra Heffernan was re-elected president
Olivia Johnson Harris was re-elected vice president
Quotable
“You did it not just as an educator, but you did it as a communicator. You touched people and you had people coming to you like a magnet. That’s what a superintendent has to do.”
-- Board Member Joseph Brumskill, commending Superintendent Jim Scanlon, who will leave Brandwyine for a job as superintendent of the West Chester School District in July
