Property Tax Increases As Seen From Lancaster County

If you live in Lancaster County and pay property taxes to Octoara Area School District, your tax bill increase this year was the third smallest increase in the County behind only Ephrata and Columbia Districts, who didn't raise taxes at all.

Money quote:

In the face of $20 million less in state aid, declines in federal aid, stagnant local revenue and rising pension, health care and operating costs, districts have been wielding the cost-cutting ax.  In all, more than 250 positions have been eliminated countywide through furloughs or attrition, and every district but one, Elanco, has dipped into its reserves to fill funding gaps.  The county's 17 school systems drained more than $16 million from their reserves to balance their budgets this year.

Read Lancaster Online's assessment of Lancaster County's 2011-12 school year tax increases here.

Octorara's State Funding Cut Again

Before celebrating Governor Corbett's austere budget announced Tuesday, residents might want to consider how cuts in Harrisburg are likely to impact wallets in Parkesburg.

According to a report in Lancaster Intelligencer Journal yesterday, Octorara Area School District district stands to lose over $1.2 million dollars if the proposed budget passes.

Click on the chart to enlarge

The reduction would come in the form of reduced Basic Education Funding (BEF), reduced block grants and reduction in the amount the district is reimbursed for students attending charter schools.

This on top of the approximately $1.5 million the district lost over the last six years due to anti development measures passed in Harrisburg in 2004.

What will Octorara do to make up the shortfall?

Staff cuts, program reductions, fee increases and yes, property tax increases.

There are simply no other options.

You can read more about the Governor's budget and its likely impact on regional school districts here.