Taxes Going Up for Saucon Valley Property Owners

The Saucon Valley School Board voted 6-2 to approve a final 2017-2018 budget that includes a 2.5 percent tax increase for property owners Tuesday, marking the first time in eight years the board has voted to raise taxes, the Morning Call reported.

Board members Susan Baxter and Bryan Eichfeld voted against the increase.

The 2.5 percent increase equates to a 1.29 mill increase, for a new total millage rate of 53.03 mills. That translates to a $129 increase on a home assessed at $100,000.

In other business, the board approved a two-year Saucon Valley teachers’ contract extension more than a year before the current contract expires; a marked difference from several years ago, when contentious contract talks dragged on for years.

The next contract will take effect July 1, 2018, and includes step freezes in the first year, with a $1,000 stipend, the Morning Call reported. The second year of the contract allows for step increases and a $1,500 stipend and includes a provision for new hires (after July 2019), whose spouses will no longer be eligible for medical benefits if they have their own coverage from an employer.

Board member Ed Inghrim was absent Tuesday.

To watch Tuesday’s school board meeting on YouTube, click here.