May 9—SUNBURY — Shikellamy School District property owners will not see a tax increase after the board voted in favor of a preliminary budget that will be passed in June.
Superintendent Jason Bendle and Business Manager Brian Manning have been presenting the preliminary budget during recent school board meetings, and both said it would include an administrative recommendation of no tax increase.
On Thursday, during a board meting, directors voted to accept the nearly $51 million budget with no tax increase for property owners.
The new budget also includes the addition of one technology assistant position at $38,000; a high school teaching position at $59,727 budgeted salary; and a pay increase for administration, professional staff (contractual), management employees and teamsters support personnel.
In November, taxpayers of the district will vote on whether they will switch from a tax based on their occupation to one based on their earnings.
The question will be placed on the Nov. 7 General Election ballot and voters will be able to switch if they choose.
The authorization to eliminate occupational assessment taxes was outlined in Optional Occupation Tax Elimination Act 24 of 2001, and was later recast in Act 511 in 2008, officials said.
It allows school districts to use specified calculations to determine the earned income tax rate that would be assessed if the occupational assessment tax is replaced. Individuals would be taxed on what they earn, not a job title. School officials said the rate is about 1 percent of earnings.