Monday, April 29, 2013
Four large commercial properties account for about a quarter of the $38 million in question.
There is about $38 million worth of unresolved 2013 Allegheny County assessment appeals in court. Frosina Cordisco, Upper St. Clair School District's director of business and finance, updated the school board last Monday as they try to come up with a plan for the 2013-14 school budget. John Vogel, the attorney who represents the district in assessment appeals, estimated one quarter of the $38 million in question is from four large commercial properties: South Hills Village (including Dick's Sporting Goods, Target and Sears), Summerfield Commons, the former Consol headquarters site and Friendship Village. "These (appeals) could really swing our numbers dramatically," Cordisco said. Vogel also told the board the large majority of appeals …
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
According to the latest numbers from Allegheny County, the township has $2.033 billion of assessed value.
The Upper St. Clair Board of Commissioners voted to adopt a 3.83 millage rate Monday night. The rate dropped from the 3.9 mills they approved in the 2013 budget on Dec. 3, 2012. They adopted the new millage rate after receiving more recent reassessment data from Allegheny County at the end of December 2012. The total assessed value in Upper St. Clair increased to $2.033 billion. The township's overall assessed taxable values are 20 percent higher than those used for the 2012 tax year. Finance Director August Stache said Allegheny County used the same data to determine the county tax rate for residents. Like Patch on Facebook. | Follow Patch on Twitter. | Sign up for the daily email newsletter.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Detailed budgets for the 2013-14 school year are being worked on now.
The Upper St. Clair School Board unanimously adopted Monday night a resolution not to go above the Act 1 tax index for the 2013-14 school year. The Act 1 index for the next budget is .437 mills—or an increase of 1.7 percent. The adopted resolution means the board will not request for any tax exemptions from the state this year. When the board approved a tax hike last year, they agreed they would not raise taxes for the 2013-14 school year. A final decision will be made this summer.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Oren Spiegler, of Upper St. Clair, writes a letter to the editor about the Upper St. Clair School Board's proposed tax increase.
To the editor: It is outrageous, but not the least bit surprising that the infamous overtax and overspend Upper Saint Clair School Board has voted to increase the tax burden ... again ... by a whopping 5.7 percent, or 1.375 mills, this in order to create a surplus rather than to allow taxpayers to retain a small amount of their hard-earned money. Board members Amy Billerbeck, Angela Petersen, Frank Kerber, and Buffy Hasko sought an even-higher hike of 1.5 mills; an amount that I trust would not cause any hardship in their family budgets. Part of the reason that Upper St. Clair is subjected to ruinous rates of taxation both by the school board and the board of commissioners, is that a family breadwinner who is employed by an entity cannot …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Upper St. Clair School Board crunched the numbers and examined their budget options Monday night.
If the Upper St. Clair School Board does not raise taxes by 1.5 mills for the 2012-13 school year, they may be looking at dramatically reducing school bus service for the 2013-14 school year. Business Director Frosina Cordisco presented the numbers and options to the school board Monday night at a meeting. The school board must pass a preliminary budget next Monday and a final budget on June 20. With no tax increase this year, there is a projected $890,000 budget shortfall. If the board raises taxes by the Act 1 index, which is .41 mills this year, they're looking at a $217,000 deficit. The increase would be equivalent to $82 per $200,000 of assessed home value. If the board raises taxes by 1.5 mills, there would be a $1.5 million surplus…
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
There is a $520,000 projected shortfall with a .41 mill tax increase.
The revised preliminary budget for the Upper St. Clair School District shows a $520,000 shortfall following the new teacher contract agreement. The number takes into account a .41 mill tax increase, the maximum amount the state would allow the district to tax without the referendum exemptions. A .41 mill increase is equivalent to $82 per $200,000 assessed home value. Business Manager Frosina Cordisco presented the calculations to the school board Monday night. Teachers agreed to use their 2009-10 salaries for the 2012-13 school year in their new contract they voted for last month. The move will save the district $555,000 in 2012-13. The district can also save $711,000 by not replacing seven professional staff members who are retiring—…
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The state will allow the board to raise taxes by $325 per $200,000 of assessed value if they vote to do so in June.
Superintendent Patrick O'Toole told the Upper St. Clair School Board on Monday night that the Pennsylvania Department of Education approved the tax exemptions the district applied for with two minor exceptions. In the letter the district received on Friday, the department said that the maximum amount of tax money the district can receive with the exemptions is about $2.735 million. For a homeowner of a $200,000 house, the tax increase would be equivalent to about $325. The two slight dollar amounts the department did not approve for the district came in the pension and debt categories. The board voted for the district to apply for the special exemptions from the state to raise property taxes beyond the Act 1 limit without having to get the…
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The move will give the board 'maximum amount of flexibility' come June.
The Upper St. Clair School Board passed a preliminary budget Monday night for the 2012-13 school year, which includes a 1.647-mill tax increase and the elimination of nine professional and five support staff positions. A 1.647-mill tax is equivalent to $329 per $200,000 of assessed value. The vote was 7-2. School Directors Louis Oliverio and Louis Mafrice voted against passing the budget. They said they aren't comfortable with such a large tax increase. "I believe a budget is a budget," Oliverio said. "In order for me to vote yes, I need to be comfortable with it." "I believe that this proposed budget falls short of serving members of the community," Mafrice said. "I look at it differently," board member Amy Billerbeck said. "There's one …
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday night's action will 'provide the boar with maximum flexibility' come June 2012.
The Upper St. Clair School Board passed a preliminary budget Monday night that could allow the school directors to raise taxes by 1.57 mills in June 2012. A 1.57 mills tax increase would be equal to $314 per $200,000 of assessed value. In addition, the budget would eliminate 16 staff positions, including 10 fulltime teachers and six supporting staff. The vote was made so early in the year to allow for the district to apply with the Department of Education to raise taxes above the pre-set state limit, which is .337 mills next year, equivalent to $67 per $200,000 of assessed value. District administrators recommended the board adopt the preliminary budget to allow for "maximum financial flexibility" when it comes time to adopt a final budget…
Monday, December 12, 2011
Monday's meeting will take place in the Upper St. Clair High School's LGI room.
- SCHOOLS
-
Monday, December 12, 2011
Monday's Upper St. Clair School Board meeting will take place in Upper St. Clair High School's LGI room. Administrators announced the location change on Thursday, Dec. 8. The location has more room for residents who attend the meeting to sit. School directors will likely vote on a preliminary 2012-13 budget with a deficit at the meeting in order to apply for an Act 1 tax exception. The move, if approved, would allow the board to raise taxes above the pre-set state limit. The boys' and girls' soccer teams will also be recognized at Monday night's board meeting for their WPIAL championship wins. The boys' team went on to place second in the PIAA tournament. Monday night's meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The following school board …
Bryan
1:48 pm on Monday, April 29, 2013
Oh the irony.... "Vogel also told the board the large majority of appeals were owner initiated." Because the township just filed a bunch of appeals on houses sold in the past year, and they filed 2 days before the deadline. more ›