When: School District of Lancaster board meeting, May 11.
What happened: Board members tentatively agreed to raise real estate taxes 1.75% for 2021-22, down from the 2.12% recommended by district administrators. An informal consensus received unanimous approval.
What it means: The tax hike, scheduled for a vote May 19, means residents will see an annual increase of $63.98 for an average home valued at $163,484. This translates to about $39 for every $100,000 in property.
Discussion: Board members said they were reluctant to raise taxes because of the pandemic but realized a zero increase next year would mean a much higher hike for 2022-23. âWe need to be consistent,â Dave Parry said, explaining he favors a minimal increase below 2%. âIâm not comfortable putting the number two before the public.â The board could raise taxes as much as 4.3%. Board President Edith Gallagher noted that as the district continues an expected decline in enrollment, its percentage