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The Altoona Area School Board unanimously adopted a resolution Monday night indicating that it will not raise the tax rate for the 2024-25 year past the state Taxpayer Relief Act's 7.7% index.
With the district's current tax rate set at 6.7502 mills, the maximum rate the board could raise its taxes is to 7.2699 mills, or $7.27 per every $1,000 a property is valued. However, tax millage won't be set until June.
School officials said the current index is the highest it has been since the act was adopted in 2006.
Superintendent Brad Hatch told board members that the resolution was not a vote for or against a tax increase.
Rather, it's an annual resolution that the state requires school boards to pass.
"We typically do this resolution in January," Hatch said at the meeting. "However, with some uncertainty with primary election dates and the potential for this to be moved up, we are asking for a resolution vote this evening."
There are some exceptions based on the district's retirement rate and special education costs, according to Sue Franks, the district's director of business operations.
"The district hasn't exceeded the minimum thresholds in either of those categories," she said. "Our expenses haven't increased to a point where we qualify for exceptions."
Val Mignogna, board vice president, asked solicitor Carl P. Beard whether other districts have passed the resolution.
Beard said it is unusual for other school boards to vote against the resolution, unless they have "some drastic things occurring" in their districts.
"The exceptions have pretty much gone away," he said. "The index that is out there now is so high that I don't really see anybody exceeding 7.7%."
During the meeting's public comment, district resident Katie Buchanan asked the board to address rumors that it would be selling Keith athletic field in the future. The district previously listed the field for sale for $300,000.
"Is the safety of my neighborhood worth $300,000 to you?" she asked the board. "Is that what it takes to sell my kids' safety?"
Buchanan asked board members for transparency and to have input on what it decides to do.
"None of you have spoken with anybody in our community about what we want in our neighborhood," she said.
After the meeting, Hatch confirmed that the field was once for sale in 2020, but it is not currently for sale. He said it would take board action to re-list the field for sale again.
Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.