Phoenixville School District Holding Budget Town Hall Wednesday

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Taxpayers in Phoenixville Area School District will pay about $72.60 more next year — if their homes are near the median assessed value in the area — if the presently proposed budget is passed for 2021-22.

The PASD Board of Directors is holding a virtual budget town hall on Wednesday evening to present the budget and to allow for public input on it, before it is finalized. The proposed budget calls for a 1.6 percent tax increase to cover costs in the school year ahead.

The school board has until the end of June to finalize a budget for the upcoming school year but must adopt a proposed final budget by the end of May.

The largest portion of revenue in the proposed $64 million budget for the 2021-22 school year is from real estate taxes, of course. The district reported nearly a half-million-dollar reduction in revenue based on assessment growth and appeals. View a presentation on the preliminary budget here.

Health insurance costs are up 8 percent, which will add over $500,000 to budgeted costs. The largest expenditure in the PASD budget is salaries, which account for 40 percent of the budget. Another 26 percent of the budget pays for benefits, and 11 percent goes to debt service.

All PASD community members are invited to the virtual budget town hall on March 24 from 6-7:00 p.m.

Presentation of the proposed 2021-2022 PASD School Budget. Opportunity for questions and answers throughout the evening. The Zoom link for the town hall is here.

Statement Issued Concerning Asian American Students

Additionally, the Phoenixville Area School District Administration, Faculty, Staff, and Board of School Directors late last week issued a statement concerning its Asian American students, after 8 people, including six Asian victims, were killed in Atlanta on March 16.

The statement said, "(PASD) strives to create an inclusive school community free from discrimination, racism, and violence. The rise in attacks on Asian Americans in this country and abroad is unacceptable and abhorrent. As a district, we stand with our Asian American students and condemn all racially motivated attacks. We will continue our efforts to create an environment where all students feel safe, valued, and welcome in our schools, and to oppose racism and discrimination in any form. As a district, we affirm our commitment to ensure all are treated with dignity, respect, and empathy."

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