11/23/2011 3:33 AM
McMURRAY - Taxes for residents of Peters Township School District will most likely increase about 3 mills to address a projected $1.7 million deficit.
Although school districts operate on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year, when a district in the state needs to increase taxes above a predetermined percentage, such as what is facing Peters, it must apply to the state for an exception, and, in some cases, ask for approval from the taxpayers through a referendum. That means that the district must take action on a preliminary budget months earlier.
The school board is expected to pass a preliminary $57.9 million budget at its Dec. 5 special meeting immediately following the 6:30 p.m. reorganization meeting.
Dan Solomon, district business manager, said one of the main causes of the deficit is the increase in contributions to employee pension plans. The district's contribution is $900,000, with the state chipping in half, Solomon said. Increases in salaries and day-to-day expenses, also contributed, as did lost revenue from lower interest rates.
Once the preliminary budget is approved, Solomon said the board will begin to cut costs where appropriate to reduce the planned increase.
If approved in its current form in June, taxpayers with a home assessed at $200,000 would see a tax increase of $60, and those whose homes are valued at $400,000 would pay an additional $120 a year in school taxes.
The board increased taxes in the 2011-12 budget from 95.18 mills to 96.51 mills, a percentage increase below the approved index, hence, no state or voter approval was needed. Because of rapid growth in the township that resulted in a higher total assessed value, the district did not increase taxes from about 1991 until 2003, Solomon said.
Each mill brings in about $315,000.
Revenues in the district should increase through higher assessed property values and a boost in earned income taxes. However, those increases will not be sufficient to offset the deficit.
Even if the millage is increased, the district still will have the second-lowest tax rate in Washington County behind only California Area School District, Solomon said. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
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31 comments:
So tired of taxes going up every year. When are the administration and teachers taking a pay freeze? When will the hiring of HR attorneys stop at outrageous salaries and benefits.....by the way, are there no qualified candidates that live in Peters Township for anything we have hired or we are hiring for? It seems to me someone with a 3.7 or above GPA may want a job that actually lives here?
EASY WAY TO CUT THE BUDGET
Whoever mentioned on the other article that a way to save money is to eliminate the new curriculum position is using logic that makes sense, don't expect foks to understand it. Want to save a 1/2 million quickly, here you go school board:
-No curriculum position - I agree with the other poster. There is no curriculum to be done. Give it back to the administrators as took place when Battaglia left and went to the elementary school.
Savings with benefits: About $125,000
-HR position - let Zetty do it- she did it for months anyhow and micromanages everyone so this position isn't needed. You already have the other HR position.
Savings with benefits: About $125,000
-Tell teachers you won't lay anyone off if they can take a pay freeze.
Savings: About $250,000
-No Admin. raise (this includes the superintendent)
Savings: About $ 50,000
-No Super. conferences or meetings or anything else that costs money:
Savings: About $ 1,000
No field trips outside of Washington or Allegheny County: Savings: About 1,000
New business manager when Solomon retires:
Savings: At least $ 15,000
There you go.
"No Super. conferences or meetings or anything else that costs money:
Savings: About $ 1,000"
I think you underestimated that one. They are spending well over that for only one administrative conference they voted on at the last meeting! They also spend $10,000 a year stipend to label an assistant principal at the high school as a 'curriculum' person for that building; yet we are paying for a full time curriculum administrator??
Along with administrative raises every year they also give out bonuses!!! Yet, we have to pay for student services? The priorities in this school district seriously need reconfiguring.
The high school lady only does HS curriculum. IT is more work and she earns the extra money. The key is that this can be done at each of the other levels and then you don't need the curriculum position in central office. I am sure there are a few underestimated amounts or areas, one being the business manager where probably 20,000 instead of 15,000 can be saved when a new person comes in. The HR should be done also and just have Zetty do it. Nothing gets done without it being her way anyhow.
".....she earns the extra money." That is certainly extremely debatable. Maybe she does do curriculum writing but she is unable to answer parental questions and lies to students. I do agree, there is no need for a curriculum person in this district.
"....she earns the extra money"
she perhaps might earn it from a curriculum writing standpoint, but she does not answer parent or student questions regarding curriculum. ptsd has no need for an administrative curriculum person.
the new hr person is an entire waste of money. it is not like the district can afford to hire. if we have some retirees and resignations we just replace them. We have an hr department. what the heck?
yes, there is a curriculum freeze, except of course for those required online classes that were 'must haves', which are now being removed. required english electives. isn't that an oxymoron, required electives? isn't it about time they teach kids the basics like how to pull themselves away from electronics and interact with real people? i think it is really stupid.
raises and bonuses need to go too. parents pay transportation for field trips. that is a non issue. this district thinks nothing of dropping a thousand bucks on a conference for employees, yet they will not spend $40 for registration of a student academic team. the priorities in this district are a mess.
Wait we are giving how much money for someone at the HS to be in charge of curriculum? Is this simple a "payoff" for this person being disgruntled and angry they were passed over and the leadership attempting to pacify them so they don't leave? If curriculum was really the issue here why would the money not go to the other assistant who was just placed on the district web site as being recognized by the curriculum association as a star? Fishy to me!! But just another example of our money going to the wrong places. Nothing against the person who got the money hey who could blame them it eases the pain of working here.
Hey, that is really 'fishy'.
Nothing fishy. The lady given the extra responsibility for HS curriculum and not much money for it does have a focus on curriculum. You are missing the point. That isn't the issue. The issue is this needs to be done K-8.
It seems like options have been posted that make sense to save money. Eliminate K-8 curriculum position and give it to administrators. Let Zetty do the HR position. Freeze all wages for admin. and teachers. Much money saved from Solomon replacement. No money for super to go away on out of district meetings or retreats that cost $$ (I heard she is at a real nice one this week at Nemacolon Woodlands!!!) So school board, after you elect Cindy as board president you can put these changes in and save our district money. Right???
Anonymous said...
It seems like options have been posted that make sense to save money. Eliminate K-8 curriculum position and give it to administrators. Let Zetty do the HR position. Freeze all wages for admin. and teachers. Much money saved from Solomon replacement. No money for super to go away on out of district meetings or retreats that cost $$ (I heard she is at a real nice one this week at Nemacolon Woodlands!!!) So school board, after you elect Cindy as board president you can put these changes in and save our district money. Right???
December 1, 2011 1:35 PM
If you think we are in deep trouble now, wait til one of the three stooges is voted president. If Cindy becomes president, sell the farm now and get out of town! Actually this could be a pretty good comic series. I can already see her sitting at the head of the table sharing her papers with one of the other stooges, whispering, rolling her eyes, and of course being rude to people. A snake never sheds all of its skin.
Why we should use our energy on our own kids and not this blog. Seriously, we are wasting our time. Do you really think...
Nina Zetty cares that behind her back she is called Meana Zetty by some?
Cindy, who will be president on Monday night, cares that she will be probably be president because no one else wants it?
The three ladies made fun of who Always vote together care that some people think that on their own they can't make a decision?
That one of the board members who some people say does nothing unless his wife tells him to cares that some people say this?
That Zetty really cares that her on-line class idea is a disaster? That her 3.7 QPA is a disaster? That just about every person in central office wishes she would work somewhere else?
Do you think Zetty cares that people wonder why she takes no ownership in any mistakes she makes but always blames everyone else. That a number of her administrators are constantly looking to get out of PTSD because of her. Do you think she cares what people think when she acts like a victim and says no one understands her.
Only you care - Get over it. It's a free country. Use your energy on your own kids in your own home. These people can do and say what they want and there is nothing we can do.
Your words are harsh but true. Here's one, do you think Zetty cares that she and the board wants to spend money on fields but will probably be laying off teachers? Hey, but this teachers' union is afraid of her and doesn't have the previous strong union President who was here for so many years. He wouldn't have caved into her whims, treatment of people, and her trying to take over the HS by sending out emails and excluding the HS principal. For that matter, do you think either of the last previous two HS principals would have put up with that! Nope.
12-4-11
reply
That's the mission get rid of anyone with a brain, anyone that may ask why, anyone that would stand up, anyone with experience, anyone who cares about kids, anyone that refuses to be a pipit and on and on.
We have been and continue to be in deep deep trouble.
We all should have paid better attention when we had the people we lost! To late now.
I think we did, but they didn't want to stay with her. Of course Zetty will say they should have left, but don't tell me that three of those folks who I know and did an EXCELLENT job didn't leave because they couldn't do what should be done for kids. Zetty has complained about every single person who works here! Her answer is they should have left. Sorry, the really good ones were here before her and helped shape this district into a positive one - and then she came and the board changed and now our district is a poor one. The only reason more admin. haven't left is because of the state of education in PA. She'd be looking for folks every month!
Whatever happened to the saying administration says over and over "We value people not things"? They forgot to add, 'Unless it has to do with sports. We must have better and more than others.' I am furious they chose to build this field first and foremost, over looking at educational facility needs. Now they talk about furloughs?
The district is also soon going to be at a loss because a lot of teachers are retiring. I am guessing the district will choose not to replace those people and perhaps encourage others to retire early without replacements.
I do not like the choice in the new high school principal as well. I have never met the person but many actions, and lack thereof, speaks much louder than words. I have had dealings with the new male assistant principal at the high school. He seems like a real keeper and is quite young. I hope PTSD can hang on to him!
I have dealt with the HS principal also and think she is doing a very good job. That is so difficult and it has been a mess for at least 10 years. Also, can you imagine what it is like working for this superintendent. She will do well, but a person in that position is going to make enemies in any district. I have seen her put kids first, and that is what is important.
Juvenile allegations: Officials at Peters Township High School, East McMurray Road, called police at 7:13 a.m. Monday when a principal noticed a student getting off a school bus who appeared to be acting suspiciously, township police said.
Police were notified and found a bag of suspected marijuana. A juvenile allegation against the 15-year-old boy will be filed, police said.
Nice Job PTHS Admin!
That is awesome that they got the child with the marijuana. Now they can move up and get the kids doing the 'other' drugs in the bathrooms every day. It certainly is a great start! Looks like they finally have an administrative team that will actually do something.
This is one of the best admin. teams in years. Now, if the super. stops micromanaging them they will get even better.
Hey school board. I heard that the parents in Mt Lebanon and maybe the community takes part in evaluating the superintendent. What better way as a part of evaluation. You can also include the teachers though I don't know if Mt Lebo includes them. How about it? Doesn't Zetty call the district a business? Then let's evaluate her as the CEO. MT Lebo board is willing to do it. They may also evaluate the admin bit not sure.
"Now, if the super. stops micromanaging them they will get even better."
How are they being micromanaged/being held accountable? I wish our school board would go back to micromanaging/accountability. They used to give a crap.
Micromanaging has nothing to do with accountability. I wish the board would manage the superintendent!
The people in this township are hilarious and stupid. Our buildings are way overdue for an overhaul and the younger people in this district should be thinking about what they will be like when their little ones get to those levels. Then don't cry when you can't get a renovation through because the district has no money. Unfortunately, we will be like every other district and have to lay off staff. Maybe if they would take voluntary pay cuts like the real world does, they could keep their jobs. The sad part is that there are plenty of teachers that should be laid off, but won't be because they have seniority. The new, talented vivacios teachers will be the ones to go and that is unfortunate. As far as administrators go, we lost one who couldn't do their job and one who did not have the guts to do their job.
Clearly, some of the nitwits writing on this blog are clueless and everyone knows who they are. Who cares what a former adminstrator really thinks. People come and go in the real world and everyone moves on. If there was not managing going on right now, we would really be in bigger trouble, but then all of ou would have something else to complain about. Get off the blog and get involved in what is really going on not the gossip that you hear! If you have been in this district for any length of time, there are meetings all the time for the things you have the ----- to bitch about on here but not the ----- to go to a meeting and make a meaningful contribution to make things better, mostly because you don't really know what you are talking about. It would be nice if the people in this district that don't have kids anymore or employees who have left or are about to leave would mind their own business. It is sad when you all hide behind anonymous, probably the same people who never volunteer or never come around for anything. GET A LIFE! This Board and Administration has done the best job to clean the dead wood out of this district and are trying to rebuild. I've had enough kids go through this district to know. So much more to be said, but some people have real jobs and can't sit around and whine all day! Easy to cut the budget!!!!! go to a meeting if you are so damn smart
To Dec 16, 2011:
You must be related to a board member or get favors from the lady who is not followed. The admin (Zetty and board are Not doing a good job at all. Two people did leave who weren't the best but many people left who were good and a few who retired were excellent. If you want to say they are doing the best they can, well you make my thoughts. Their best is below average. They aren't followed or listened to. In terms of the teachers, our teachers are very good and care about kids. You have no clue what is going on and how the district has gone straight down hill in the last 5 years. But that's okay, you are probably doing the best you can also.
"If you want to say they are doing the best they can, well you make my thoughts."
What? Forgot your morning meds?
December 16, 2011 7:57 AM
Get a clue or keep taking your Prozac. Maybe when you come out of your drug induced coma you will realize what is going on in this district.
That isn't nice Michelle.
That isn't nice Michelle.
December 25, 2011 5:05 PM
Come on Lynnie
What about HB 1776
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