West York board reviews 2026–27 budget; $1.09M deficit remains, 4.6% tax hike proposed

Sherry presented the board with a final draft of the 2026–27 budget, saying the administration reduced an initial roughly $4,000,000 shortfall to a remaining $1,090,000 deficit the district would have to cover from fund balance if the plan is unchanged. "When we originally started, the budget that was presented was in the $4,000,000 deficit range," she said, and later noted, "it is also remaining with a $1,090,000 deficit that will have to be taken from fund balance, should that be the final result."

The budget as built assumes a 4.6% tax increase — the maximum allowable under the state's Act 1 index, she said — and includes changes such as possible medical insurance moves (Highmark to Capital Blue Cross) and adjustments to staffing by using building substitutes rather than district employees in some cases. Sherry summarized areas administrators could not reduce, citing utilities, special education costs and transportation contracts as constrained expenses.

Sherry explained the public timeline: the district will begin a 10‑day public notice on May 8, then allow a 20‑day inspection period at the administration building, with final approval scheduled for the June 9 work session so staff can finalize tax bills for the July 1 cycle. She told the board the proposed millage would increase from 26.0745 to 27.2739 (about 1.2 mills). Using an example assessment of $162,000, she estimated an annual tax increase of about $192; for a borough house assessed at $85,000 she estimated roughly a $100 annual increase, and noted those figures are based on the gambling funds the district received last year and therefore could change.

Board members pressed for context and noted statewide funding pressures. One director said transportation costs are expected to rise about $470,000 and special education costs about $1,200,000; the director characterized some of the pressure as the result of state funding shifting responsibilities to local taxpayers. Sherry confirmed the district expects only modest increases from state sources for this year; the presentation indicated only a small increase in basic education funding and limited state relief relative to rising mandated costs.

The board did not vote on the budget at the meeting; administrators said a formal vote will occur at the June work session after the public notice and inspection period.