Board members at Pottsville Area School District voted unanimously on Wednesday to adopt a preliminary budget for the 2026-27 school year that calls for a 1% increase in property taxes.
Since this is the first budget considered since the completion of the countywide property reassessment, directors had to first calculate an equalized millage rate that comes in line with the new total property assessment in the district.
Pottsville Area’s equalized millage rate is 9.0441. School board members approved the preliminary budget with a 1% increase, or 0.09044 mills. That brings the proposed new millage rate to 9.13454. (See table below for how that affects your property taxes in the upcoming school year.) At a meeting on June 17, board members will first have to approve the equalized millage and then the adjusted millage for the tax increase.
The millage increase is expected to generate approximately $132,863 in additional revenue for Pottsville Area. Pottsville’s Act 1 Index for the 2026-27 term did allow board members to approve up to a 5.8% increase in property taxes. Taxpayers in the district have faced increases in alternating years since 2020-2021 and hikes from 2016-2017 through 2020-2021.
Local funding makes up about 34% of the revenue collected by Pottsville Area School District. That includes new real estate taxes, interest, real estate transfer taxes, delinquent tax collections, and earned income taxes. The state kicks in 63% and federal sources account for 3%.
PASD Spending Comparison
Directors heard that next year will see an 8.11% spending increase over the 2025-26 school year.
Pottsville’s proposed total spending in 2026-27 is $56,048,068, up from about $51.8 million last term. Approximately 65% of that spending is salaries and benefits
Here is a look at the spending comparison from this school term to 2026-27 at Pottsville Area School District, based on data provided in the preliminary budget presentation:
| Major Function | 2025-2026 Budget ($) | 2026-2027 Proposed ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional Services | 29,900,410 | 30,833,655 |
| Support Services | 13,272,126 | 15,639,243 |
| Non-Instructional Services | 743,128 | 820,144 |
| Facilities | 5,290,355 | 5,293,305 |
| Other Financing | 2,636,290 | 3,461,721 |
| Total | 51,842,309 | 56,048,068 |
Pottsville Area says salaries and wages for District employees is expected to rise 3.08% for the next term. Medical insurance premiums are expected to go up 9.06%.
How a 1% Increase Affects Your Property Taxes
Below is a table showing property owners approximately how much they can expect to pay in school property taxes for the 2026-27 school term in Pottsville Area School District. These rates are based on the new assessed values of properties and the proposed new millage rate approved with the passing of the preliminary budget on Wednesday:
| Assessed Property Value ($) | Estimated Total Tax ($) |
|---|---|
| 50,000 | 456.73 |
| 75,000 | 685.09 |
| 100,000 | 913.45 |
| 125,000 | 1,141.82 |
| 150,000 | 1,370.18 |
| 175,000 | 1,598.54 |
| 200,000 | 1,826.91 |
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