There are some major changes being considered for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District’s 2020-2021 budget, with more than $3 million cut from the preliminary budget that was proposed in January.
Superintendent John Sanville referred to the changes as a budget that will "allow us to survive so we can thrive in the future."
In revising the proposed budget, he said staff and administrative salaries are frozen for the year, and there is an across the board budget cut of 5 percent. In all, the expenditures are cut by $3.4 million. However, the educational programs will remain the same, he said.
Sanville's comments came during a budget hearing on May 4. The hearing was conducted via Zoom.
The overview of the proposed final budget presented is one in which estimated revenues are $89.8 million — down by almost a half of a percentage point — and expenditures are $90.2 million — down by 0.03 percent from last year's budget, according to Joe Deady, the superintendent of accounting for the school district.
Millage rates are also lower than previously considered, at least for Chester County property owners. The rate in Chester County would be 29.07 mils, a reduction of 0.31 percent of the original proposal. However, Chadds Ford property owners would see a rate of 25.99 mils or a slight increase of 1.09 percent.
Chadds Ford Township is the only Delaware County municipality in the district. Deady said 20.444 percent of the local property tax revenue would come from Chadds Ford, based on how the state requires the tax burden should be shared.
He said the most significant changes came from the freezing salaries and reducing other expenses from what was considered in January.
A breakdown of the revenue shows the federal government providing $626,437, or 0.70 percent, the state kicking in $16.1 million — 17.96 percent; and local taxes of $73.44 million, or 81.34 percent.
School Director Jeff Hellrung said the proposed final budget protects education, jobs, and the district's finances.
The board is to vote on the proposed final budget next week, on May 11, and then vote on the final budget during the June 15 meeting.
All slides used during the hearing are found here.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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