Easton Area SD adopts $223.27M 2026‑27 budget amid board dissent

The Easton Area School District board approved its 2026‑27 general fund budget and accompanying tax levy resolution, adopting $223,270,226 in projected revenue and moving the district into the new fiscal year.

The vote followed public comment and board discussion about the scale of the increase. Charles Stevenerfer, a member of the public, asked why a reported 2% real‑estate tax increase translated into what he described as roughly a 4.2% increase in the general fund and questioned several line changes, including an apparent drop in Act 511 income tax receipts and a rise in state revenue. "The budget really basically goes up by 4.2%," Stevenerfer said, and urged the board to explain year‑to‑year shifts in revenue and one‑time federal spending.

Board members discussed the monthly finance reports and one trustee criticized the presentation of the district financials, saying reports have not shown balanced budgets consistently in recent months and expressing concern about low or absent unassigned fund balances. Trustees asked for follow‑up materials on one‑time American Rescue Plan (ARPA/SR) expenditures and what remains in the baseline budget from federal stimulus allocations.

Several motions and routine financial items preceded the budget adoption, including transfers related to a St. Luke's sponsorship, the sale of a repository property and procurement approvals. When the budget came to a vote, a majority approved the final budget and tax levy resolution but multiple trustees recorded 'no' votes on the financial consent agenda and on the budget motion; the transcript does not provide a full roll‑call tally in the public record provided.

The board directed district staff and the CFO to complete year‑end transfers to close the 2025‑26 fiscal year and requested follow‑up information on finance report accuracy, the composition of the revenue changes and the status of previously described one‑time SR-funded positions and purchases.

Next steps: the district will finalize and file tax levy documentation and continue follow up with trustees on the detailed financial questions raised during the meeting. The transcript does not contain a complete roll‑call vote by name for the budget item; trustees opposing the budget were recorded on the public record but the motion ultimately carried.