3.46% Tax Hike Approved For Hatboro-Horsham Residents

HATBORO / HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — Residents of Hatboro and Horsham Township will see their school tax bills increase by 3.46 percent after the school board approved the district's $135,888,642 2025-2026 budget on Monday night.

Under the final budget, owners of the average home assessed at $148,900 will pay an additional $127.92 on next year’s tax bill.

Projected revenues were $132,915,487, which was $2,973,155 short of the final budget number.

The tax increase, which was under the Act 1 Index of 4 percent, made up that shortage. The district also used $2 million from its fund balance and $1.25 million from the PSERS fund reserve.

Salaries and benefits make up 68 percent of the budget, with services, supplies, and equipment accounting for 24 percent, and debt service 8 percent.

Bill Stone, the district's director of business affairs, said that residents interested in applying for rebates and tax credits from the state and the school district should check the district website for eligibility requirements. Information will also be provided in the tax bills that are mailed to district residents.

The average percentage tax increase for school districts in Montgomery County is 3.96. Hatboro-Horsham’s increase is the fourth lowest of the county's 21 districts, school officials said.

The school board voted 7-0 with school board members Theresa Brown and Tara Conner-Hallston absent.

The budget presentation can be found on the district's website.

School officials released the following details about the budget and tax increase:

• The Hatboro-Horsham School District approved a balanced budget with no reductions in academic programming for the 2025-26 fiscal year with a tax increase that was below the state’s Act 1 index and less than most tax increases across Montgomery County.
• The millage rate of 34.97 remains one of the lowest real estate property tax rates in the County.
• The 3.46 percent tax increase generates almost $3 million to balance the budget.
• For a home assessed at the median value in the District, taxes will only increase $10.66 per month
• Projected expenditures for 2025-2026 are $135.9 million.
• The District is providing multiple rebates for homeowners, which could lead to a property tax reduction of as much as $4,200 if qualified. This includes a new active volunteer tax rebate of up to $1,500 for individuals who serve as emergency services workers in the District.
• The District’s practice of predictable tax increases under the Act 1 index recently led to its bond rating being upgraded to Aaa by Moody’s.

(Hatboro-Horsham School District)