Special Meeting Thursday To Decide Centennial Final School Budget

WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP, PA — They couldn't close the deal.

And now it will be back to the drawing board for the Centennial School Board to decide on the final 2025-2026 Centennial $156 million school budget with the state's deadline looming.

A special meeting is planned for 7 p.m. at the administrative building for the school board to vote on the budget.

The Centennial School Board voted 6-2 twice against the school budget as board members debated a tax increase to close a $5 million deficit. The board also tabled decisions on the district's capital fund, debt service fund, and food service budget approvals.

The state Department of Education sets a June 30 deadline for school districts to pass budgets.

The proposed budget included a 4 percent tax increase for the general fund, the highest a school district can pass under the state's Act 1 index.

Several other moves were made by board members for 3.75 percent and 3.5 percent tax hikes, but those measures were also rejected.

If approved, residents with an average home assessment in Warminster and Upper Southampton townships would pay a $144 annual tax increase.

Last year, the school board approved a 4.3 percent tax increase. The Act 1 index, though, was 5.3 percent.

The school spending deficit comes at a time when the Centennial School District is changing leadership with Schools Superintendent Dana Bedden moving on while Abram Lucabaugh joins the district on Tuesday.

School Board President Mary Alice Brancato, and School Directors Jane Lynch, Patti Crossan, Tony Sadowski, Kathleen Maguire, and Charles Martin voted against the budget.

School Directors Mark Gindhart and Michael Hartline supported the budget while Flemming Godiksen was absent.