Radnor School Board Cuts Taxes for First Time in 30 Years

On Tuesday, the Radnor School Board adopted the district's 2013-14 budget of $82.7 million, which includes the first tax decrease in 30 years.

The median residential taxpayer will save $31.78 in next year's tax bill, according to the school district. You can read the history of millage increases in the document in the pdf section of this article.

Even with the decrease, the budget maintains its current programming, according to the district.

Main Line Media News reports that board members Patricia Booker, Susan Michaelson and Charles Madden argued for an alternative $81.9 million budget that would have saved residents more money.

The newspaper writes:

Booker said that the alternative budget would not cut a single program, but rather recognized the $12.5 million surpluses the board has been racking up for the last four years. Further, she said, there was no need to fund 8.5 teachers at $765,000 for full day kindergarten until the program takes effect in 2014.

Michaelson said the budget supported by the six-member majority did not take into account the end of the year surplus. And she called earmarking money for teachers who would not be hired for another year “not ethical.”

“It’s not honest to call it that,” Michaelson said. Last year taxpayers saw a more than 3 percent tax increase, she said. That increase led to an unforeseen $4 million surplus.