T/E School Board Says Budget Deficit Is $9.3M, Taxes May Go Up 3%

TREDYFFRIN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Tredyffrin/Easttown Board of School Directors has certified the tax increase for the 2021-22 School District budget will be 3 percent or less.

As a result, the administration will not apply for referendum exceptions to the Act 1 index and will not follow an accelerated timeline for the 2021-22 budget approval.

The preliminary budget presented on Jan. 4 shows an operational deficit of almost $9.3M.

"The Board and administration will work to close this budgeted gap through a combination of increases in the property tax rate, expenditures reductions, or the use of existing reserves before the final budget is approved in June," the district said in a news release this week.

The next opportunity for discussion of the 2021-22 budget will be at the Jan. 11 virtual Finance Committee meeting at 7 p.m. A link to the meeting will be available on the T/E School District website by 6 p.m. the day of the meeting.

The school board said it will continue to deliberate the budget and property tax rate increase until final adoption in June. The budget document is 263 pages long and can be viewed here.

"The T/E School Board encourages public participation during the budget development process and endeavors to reflect the input of joint stakeholders," the district said.

All School Board committee meetings are open to the public and have public comment periods. Meeting dates and agendas are available on the T/E School District website.

In addition, public comments may be submitted to Arthur J. McDonnell, Business Manager, or to the T/E School Board.