Greater Latrobe OKs 1-mill tax hike, hears more concerns about future of foreign languages triblive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from triblive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Greater Latrobe School Board next week will consider final approval of a proposed 2021-22 budget, including a 1.17% increase in spending and a 1-mill property tax hike meant to cover a projected revenue shortfall of $345,000.
On Tuesday, the board also will look to renew district insurance coverages, with an overall 2% increase in premiums.
The proposed tax hike, to 85 mills, would add $27 to the average homeowner’s annual tax bill, according to district Business Administrator Dan Watson.
He said the district trimmed expenses where possible and recommended against trying to balance the $57.7 million budget without the tax increase. “I don’t think that would be responsible to our taxpayers,” Watson said.
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It was great to see students and alumni speak out at the recent Greater Latrobe School Board meeting trying to save the German and French language programs (“Greater Latrobe plan to shift French, German instruction online draws protest,” May 26, TribLIVE). They were passionate and well prepared. It gives us hope for the future to see our youth getting involved.
However, the vice president’s comments at the end of the meeting were out of line and misleading. He stated that “you can’t have it both ways” meaning the district can’t keep these programs and not raise taxes. The proposed tax increase this year has nothing to do with the proposed scuttling of these programs. In my opinion, this year’s tax increase is because of wasteful spending.
Greater Latrobe School Board this week approved a proposed $57.7 million budget for the 2021-22 school year with a recommended 1-mill tax hike. But it was a plan for 2022-23 — the beginning of a gradual phase-out of in-person French and German language instruction at district secondary schools — that
Louis B. Ruediger | Tribune-Review
Kelly Hellman of Latrobe walks her dog Dozer in shallow water Sept. 12 at the Rogers-McFeely Memorial Pool in Latrobe’s Legion-Keener Park, during the sixth annual Pooches in the Pool event.
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Latrobe will recognize a cost savings after welcoming neighboring Unity back as a partner in a regional recreation organization.
City council this week approved an intergovernmental cooperation agreement that reinstates Unity as a member of the Latrobe-GLSD Parks and Recreation organization after an absence of six years.