Phoenixville Area School Board Adopts $103.5M Budget

PHOENIXVILLE —The Phoenixville Area School Board voted 7-2 on May 25 to adopt a $103.5 million budget for the 2022-2023 school year, calling for a .99% tax increase.

The district has 4,117 students and comprises Phoenixville borough; and East Pikeland and Schuylkill townships.

Board members Susan Turner, president; Scott Overland vice president, Caitlyn Carmini, Michelle Schamis, Victoria Walker and Jerome Weiss voted in favor of the budget.

Overland thanked the district finance manager, Jeremy Melber, for preparing a reasonable budget with a small tax increase when the economy is suffering from inflation.

Board member David Golberg and Dr. Ayisha Sereni voted against the budget

Golberg said the tax increase should be reduced to .77%.

Sereni did not provide a reason for the no vote. Earlier in the meeting, she expressed concern about video meetings deleted from the district website after the minutes were transcribed.

The average tax increase for borough residents amounts to $46.07, Melber said.

The amount is based on a median assessed value of a property at $144,000, which amounts to $320,000 in market value. However, Melber said the state’s homestead act provides tax relief for 8,603 residents.

The funds are provided from the state’s revenue from gambling.

With the adjusted money for the residents receiving relief from the homestead act, the tax increase amounts to $10.91. Read the signed budget here.