West Jefferson Hills' preliminary budget reflects real estate tax increase

West Jefferson Hills School District’s 2025-26 preliminary budget, as presented at the school board’s May 13 work session, reflects a real estate tax increase of 1.255 mills.

A vote on the $70.327 million spending plan is scheduled for the evening of May 21.

With the higher tax rate, the owner of a property with an assessed value of $150,000, near the median for the district, would pay an extra $188.25.

The district cited the 5.3% increase as necessary to support building projects “to accommodate our growing enrollment.” In August, West Jefferson Hills released information placing the number of students at 3,499, having risen “by 12% in the last five years and by more than 22% from the 2016-17 school year.”

Expenditures in the preliminary budget are projected at $70.327 million and revenues, $68.721 million.

To make up the difference, the district plans to draw from its fund balance, with $1.166 million committed to paying debt service, $340,526 toward meeting state Public School Employees’ Retirement System obligations, and $100,000 for health insurance premiums, which are anticipated to rise by 5.7% in 2025-26.

Regarding PSERS, the system’s board of trustees set the coming fiscal year’s employer retirement contribution rate at 34.0%, up from the 2024-25 rate of 33.9%. PSERS’ unfunded actuarial liability stood at about $42 billion as of December, according to information provided by the state.

West Jefferson Hills’ preliminary budget document lists the district’s retirement contribution cost as increasing by $517,000 for 2025-26. Salaries will rise by $1.513 million — to a total of $30.014 million, or 42.7% of expenditures — and health insurance costs will increase by $329,000, adding up to $19.312 million, or 27.4% of spending.

Local sources account for $48.430 million (68.5%) of revenues for West Jefferson Hills, according to the budget document. State subsidies are projected at $21.592 million, accounting for 30.6% of money coming into the district, although an exact number remains unknown until the Legislature adopts Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 budget, action that is expected to take place after the June 30 deadline for school districts to finalize their spending plans.

Information about the preliminary budget is available through the district’s website, wjhsd.net.