The Upper Perkiomen School District Board of Directors voted on Thursday, May 5 to approve a proposed budget for the 2016-17 school year with a 2.90 millage increase.

        At the proposed rate of 25.9622 mills, the district's median property owner in Montgomery County would pay an additional $128.62 in property taxes. Similarly, the median property owner in the Berks County portion of the district would have to come up with $100.80 more.

        The 3.56 percent increase in the tax rate is necessary to help balance the $57.730 million budget, according to Sandra Kassel, the district's business administrator. District officials are also requesting board approval to transfer up to $1.5 million to help cover a projected deficit.

        Vice President Raeann Hofkin and Mike Elliot voted against approving the proposed budget, which included figures that were adjusted following five budget sessions. Hofkin said she isn't sure a budget deficit exists.  "I don't think we'll need that big of a tax increase," she said after the meeting.

        According to Elliot, the budget could potentially include a surplus. "I need to take a closer look at the numbers," he said after the meeting.

        The board is expected to adopt the final version of the budget, as well as a separate resolution implementing the Homestead/Farmstead exclusions, at its June 9 public meeting.

        Board members will continue to scrutinize the figures until the final vote. Changes could be made along the way, according to Kassel.

        "This (vote) commits us to nothing," member Kerry Drake said during the meeting. The board has approved a tax increase as part of each if the last two budgets. The elected officials maintained a rate of 21.9521 mills for four previous years.

        According to a presentation by Kassel, retirement costs account for the largest increase. District officials must spend an additional $1.160 million, an 18.39 percent increase, on those expenses.

        The cost of instruction, estimated at $36.794 million, accounts for 63.7 percent of the district's projected expenses, according to the presentation. Support services make up 28.1 percent ($16.213 million) of the cost.

        The operation of non-instructional services is expected to cost $1.028 million, while other financing serves, including debt service, are projected to cost $3.694 million.

        Projected new expenditures include the hiring of a guidance counselor at Upper Perkiomen High School, as well as a new teacher at Hereford Elementary School, according to Superintendent Alexis McGloin.

        The expenditure highlights included a plan to reduce two full-time foreign language positions to part time, promote two part-time technology instructors to full-time as well as add a full-time special education teacher at the high school and eliminate a full-time special education teacher at Hereford Elementary.

        According to McGloin, the decision to regarding the Latin teacher position at the high school is determined by student enrollment. She said the recommended special education shifting is directly related to student body figures.

        Three robust computer labs must also be added at the high school, according to the superintendent.

        Local sources account for 65.1 percent ($37.604 million) of the district's proposed revenue. The district expects to receive $18.219 million from state sources. Federal contributions account for less than one percent of the proposed revenue ($406,145).