By Imari Scarbrough
The Bermudian Springs school board passed its Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget on Tuesday evening and included a 3.6% tax increase.
The board unanimously passed the vote following months of discussion about the need for increased funds while balancing the financial implications for taxpayers, particularly those on fixed incomes.
The 3.6% increase is equivalent to 0.4788 mills, resulting in a total real estate tax of 13.7800 mills.
The Gettysburg Connection covered the meeting remotely; however, the audio of the nearly two hour-long meeting cut off about 32 minutes into the discussion. Dr. Brad Sterner, superintendent of Bermudian Springs School District, confirmed the vote via email.
According to Sterner, all other items on the board’s agenda also passed 9-0.
Prior to the vote, Jennifer Goldhahn, board secretary, highlighted the dire need for additional funding.
Goldhahn lamented that the state provides significantly less than the district requires for cyber-charter reimbursement, special education, transportation, construction and renovation projects, the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) and more.
“To sum up, we are underfunded by 10% at the base level in addition to PSERS being underfunded by $2.3 million, transportation $400,000 underfunded, cyber-charter unfunded by $1.9 million and special education underfunded by $3.2 million,” Goldhahn said. “You add all that up, this district alone is underfunded by our state through unfunded and underfunded mandates for a total of $7.8 million.”
Board treasurer Ruth Griffie listed concerns about tax increases when paired with inflation affecting senior citizens.
Justin Peart, the district’s business manager, presented an array of budget options to the board prior to their vote, along with the implications to the fund balance for each choice.
The budget options were unchanged from previous meetings. The only budget change that had occurred since May included an increase of $31,676 necessary for the iPad and MacBook lease amount.
Peart said the district also had to acquire new cases for iPads being cycled from the high school to the elementary school in order to protect the devices. The estimated $54,000 will come from the current fiscal year budget and will therefore not affect the upcoming FY 2025-26 budget, according to Peart.
Peart’s presentation included a three-year financial outlook based upon the budget options he laid out for the board.
Option A was a 5.4% tax increase that still resulted in a shortfall of nearly $2.3 million. Even that choice with the highest tax increase resulted in an anticipated negative ending fund balance by FY 2027-28.
Option B – approved by the board – included a 3.6% tax increase. That option resulted in a $2.5 million shortfall, with an ending fund balance of -$1,207,654 by the end of FY 2027-28.
Option C, a tax increase of 1.8%, had a budget shortfall for FY 2026-27 of over $2.8 million, with a projected ending fund balance of -$2,029,175 by the end of FY 2027-28.
Option D, which included no tax increase, resulted in a budget shortfall of over $3 million for FY 2026-27 as well as a projected ending fund balance of -$2,850,696 by the end of FY 2027-28.
Peart’s analysis continued through the end of FY 2028-29, but while every scenario resulted in a budget shortfall that year, he cautioned the board to take the projections with a grain of salt as there are too many moving pieces to accurately predict that far into the future.
Among the other agenda items approved 9-0 was Peart’s renewed business manager agreement. The agreement extends five years through June 30, 2031.
Additionally, the board increased the 2025-26 student breakfast and lunch prices.
In the 2025-26 school year, the elementary breakfast will be $1.55 (compared to $1.45 in 2024-25), secondary school breakfast will be $1.70 (compared to $1.60), elementary lunch will be $2.35 (compared to $2.25), secondary school lunch will be $2.60 (compared to $2.50) and milk will cost $0.60 (compared to $0.50.)
The school board will hold a combined caucus and board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12.
Barring emergencies, there will be no regular meeting in July, although a building and grounds meeting is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 22.
Imari Scarbrough is a freelance journalist.
Imari Scarbrough is a freelance journalist. She was a staff newspaper reporter for five years before becoming a freelancer in 2017. She has written on crime, environmental issues, severe weather events, local and regional government and more.
You can visit her website at ImariJournal.com.