How Much Will Your School Taxes Go Up for 2013-14?

Salisbury Township School Board directors will likely raise real estate taxes by 2.2 percent after approving the district's 2013-2014 proposed final budget Wednesday night.

The district's budget reflects total expenditures in the amount of $31,398,872, requiring a real estate tax levy of 16.8708 mills.

Directors could have elected to take the maximum 2.99 percent tax increase.

Salisbury Township School District Business Administrator Robert Bruchak said a was whittled down to $182,838.

That gap, Bruchak said, will be covered by the district's fund balance, which currently stands at $2.1 million.

"It's not a big hit. We have a healthy fund balance," Bruchak said. "I think we sharpened our pencil and did many things without reducing programs or eliminating positions."

Bruchak said the district did the following to whittle down the budget gap:

• Refunded a bond issuance

• Accepted new staff retirements

• Saved $46,000 on transportation costs

• Lowered energy costs

Bruchak said an increase of $30,000 was realized in the through the Earned Income Tax. Bruchak called that "a conservative estimate."

Directors are scheduled to adopt a final budget on June 19.

Last year, directors implemented a 4 percent tax increase in the 2012-13 budget.