All options explored?

We here in the patch are getting quite a chuckle out of the little dog-and-pony show going on as the Laurel Highlands School Board ramps up to its inevitable raising of property taxes, which we boldly predict will occur at tonight's 7 p.m. meeting.

Today's story in the Herald-Standard, "LH ponders tax increase or furloughs," reveals that LH needs $280,000 to balance its budget. Based on comments from key sources, the public gets the impression that all availabe options to close that gap are being given equal weight, including faculty furloughs and tapping the capital reserve fund.

What's missing, though, is ANY board member who has spoken up AGAINST raising taxes. We don't know if that occurred during Tuesday's planning meeting. It is possible that someone did, but it wasn't reported (our sources say this is sometimes the case).

In the story as it appeared, the stars are lining up for tax increase. First up, business manager Greg Hensh, noting that the maximum tax increase permitted under the state index would hike taxes $2.67 per $10,000 of assessed value, or $27.50 on a house assessed at $100,000.

Next up, retiring superintendent Dr. Gary Brain, noting that the district has already lost 10 to 15 teaching positions due to retirement or resignation, and he won't recommend further cuts in that area.

Third clue? Board president Angelo Giachetti said he doesn’t want to lay anyone off.

Fourth one? Solicitor Gary Frankhouser noted that borrowing from the capital reserve fund at this time could impact future tax increases.

Number five? “Twenty-seven dollars for a $100,000 home and we save our whole educational system. We can’t lose 18 teachers,” said school director Jim Tobal.

Tobal is, of course, a former teacher who retired under the district's generous retirement policy, so his bias in this area comes naturally.

It would have been very interesting -- and no doubt wold have caused a little squirming -- if the Herald-Standard had asked some questions at Tuesday's dog-and-pony show. Questions like, "Are LH administrators taking a one-year pay freeze, like the administration at the neighboring Albert Gallatin Area School District did?" And, "If they aren't, why not?"

As a public service, we here on our little blog present this story "Wage freezes reflect cold, hard reality," from the Valley News Dispatch, June 28:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleynewsdispatch/s_744249.html

Teachers, administrators and staff in some Alle-Kiski Valley school districts won't be taking home as much money as they may have been expecting in the new school year.

After Gov. Tom Corbett in March called on school employees to accept a one-year pay freeze, freezes and other concessions have been agreed to in a majority of area districts.

A pay freeze for the 2011-12 year was included in the new contract between the Riverview School District and its teachers. It saved the district up to $220,000, and avoided teacher furloughs or the need to balance the budget by dipping into cash reserves, said Business Manager Frank Thompson.

Please note that this pay freeze in Riverview saved the district $220,000, which is within striking distance of the $280,000 that LH needs to balance its budget.

The Valley News Dispatch also provided its readers with some other interesting facts:

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association lists 137 school entities -- including school districts, vocational-technical schools and intermediate units -- where wage freezes have been adopted for the 2011-12 year.

(Pennsylvania State Education Association spokesman Wythe) Keever said 65 out of the PSEA's 500 locals have agreed on a pay freeze. A number of others have agreed to other concessions.

At the Kiski Area School District, saving the jobs of eight furloughed teachers was an objective for their peers, who accepted a two-year freeze.

Freeport teachers agreed to cut four working days from their calendar, from 188 to 184; give up pay for extra morning duties; and freeze salaries for supplemental positions, such as serving as coaches and advisors.

At Franklin Regional (School District), the teachers union offered a wage-and-benefit package that totals $1.6 million in savings over three years. It includes increased health insurance contributions and a wage freeze beginning in 2012-13.

It seems that in the bigger world outside of Fayette County, there are a few other options beyond raiding the capital reserve fund, furloughs or raising taxes. But when board members and administrators have relatives on the payroll, a frequent occurrence in Fayette County, it's easy to understand why those other options aren't explored.