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AASD approves resolution to cap tax increase

District won’t exceed Act 1 Index limit if hike necessary

The Altoona Area School Board unanimously approved a resolution capping any potential property tax hike in the upcoming budget to the Act 1 Index on Monday night.

The index for the Altoona district for the 2024-25 school year is set at 5.8%.

In 2024, the Board of Directors approved a 5% property tax increase, which raised the annual tax obligation $36.45 from $729.02 to $765.47, based on an assessed median property value of $108,000.

The move generated about $1,042,000 for the district’s budget.

“We are not agreeing to raise taxes, just that we won’t raise them above a certain level when that opportunity comes in June or July to make that decision,” board President Val Mignogna said.

According to Mignogna, the district has one of the lowest property tax rates among Pennsylvania public school districts, so “if you want to live anywhere else, your rates would be higher.”

In other business, the board approved a contract with Pyramid Engineering of Altoona to conduct a district-wide feasibility study on building HVAC systems at a cost not to exceed $20,000.

The newly built high school building is the only building that will be excluded from the study, according to Superintendent Brad Hatch.

The inspection process will take approximately 60 to 90 days, Hatch said, at which point, the board will review the study results to determine any follow-up action.

Technicians from Pyramid will inspect each individual HVAC system to assess its current condition, maintenance needs and potential longevity, Hatch said.

That will give district administrators data on what HVAC issues should be prioritized in future repair or replacement projects, he said.

“It’s also to improve the overall comfort and the overall consistency of the HVAC delivery in each of our buildings,” Hatch said.

Property purchase

The board approved a resolution to purchase a property at 108 Fourth St. in Altoona from the Redevelopment Authority of Altoona Land Bank for $1,000 to be converted into a staff parking lot for the nearby Washington & Jefferson Building.

According to Hatch, the authority offered the property to the district at a “price that we really couldn’t refuse,” which motivated the purchase decision.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.

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