USCSD adopts resolution limiting tax increase
Nov. 13, 2024
The Upper St. Clair School Board approved a resolution limiting any possible 2025-26 tax increase to within the inflationary index determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). The resolution was approved during the school board’s meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
Upper St. Clair’s current millage rate is 30.5970 mills. Passage of the resolution assures taxpayers that any proposed increase to the real estate tax rate will not exceed 4% or 1.2238 mills.
“Approval of the resolution does not indicate that the district is committing to any tax increase,” Dr. John T. Rozzo, superintendent of schools, said. “We are just beginning the budget process. A final budget recommendation will be presented in May, with a vote by the school board in June.”
Act 1 of 2006 sets an upper limit that school districts can raise property taxes. The index amount is calculated annually and reported to school districts by PDE. To exceed the index, school districts can apply for exceptions for pension and special education costs or by holding a voter referendum. The resolution passed by the school board establishes that Upper St. Clair will not apply for any exceptions to exceed the limit.
The 2025-26 Act I index for Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts ranges from 4% to 6.6%. Upper St. Clair is among the commonwealth’s 92 school districts with the lowest index.
The timeline, set by PDE, requires each school district to either adopt a resolution indicating that it will not raise the tax rate by more than its index or post a 2025-26 proposed preliminary budget for public inspection by Jan. 30, 2025.
Throughout the next several months, Dr. Rozzo and Scott Burchill, director of business & finance, will provide budget updates during regularly scheduled school board meetings. By law, the district’s final budget and tax rate must be approved by June 30, 2025.
More information:
- Act 1 of 2006, the Taxpayer Relief Act: Among other information, this site provides details on how the Act 1 Index is calculated.