QV Closely Monitors State Budget Process

Quaker Valley School District officials were paying close attention as the Pennsylvania House Republicans neared its final vote Tuesday night on the state budget proposal.

Superintendent Joseph Clapper said the district would be delighted if the state budget eliminates the Social Security shift and restores the costs to the district’s coffers.

Under the governor’s budget proposal, would be responsible for about $300,000 in Social Security payments, comprising the biggest portion of the district’s budget gap, Clapper said.

Quaker Valley started out its budget process with a $2 million . Through cuts that included , mostly through attrition, the district narrowed its budget gap to slightly more than $300,000.

Clapper said the big question now is how much of the final state budget will be allocated to public schools. He noted there has been talk that some funding to basic education would be restored.

The state House voted, 109-92, to pass a budget Tuesday night, adding back $100 million of a $550 million cut to the basic education subsidy and $100 million of $259 million in Accountability Block Grant funding eliminated in the governor’s budget.

The budget plan also adds $43 million to the state’s contribution to employees’ Social Security benefits.

It's unclear how those numbers will translate for Quaker Valley. The budget now goes to the Senate for approval.

Meanwhile, the school board typically approves a final budget in late May, but it was not until last week at a special legislative meeting,that the board approved a that essentially would raise taxes 0.25 mills.

School Director Robert Riker said the board met last week on Election Day because that was the latest point they could pass the proposed budget that would allow enough time by law to approve the final budget in 30 days.

“We still don’t know what our revenues will be from the state,” Riker said Tuesday night.

Once the final state budget numbers are approved, Clapper said the board will have to decide what they want to do with any additional funding they may get.

With a looming pension crisis hanging over their heads, the board could decide to keep the slight tax increase and put money away to support its obligation, Clapper said.

“Once again, the devil is in the details,” Clapper said.

That’s why the board is delaying passing a final budget, he said.

The board will meet June 21 in the community room at the Sewickley Public to vote on the final budget.