East Penn School District taxes will not surpass the index but the board and the public are still wrestling over the $60,000 question; busing for Willow Lane Elementary School.

At the Jan. 14 meeting, the board of directors resolved not to raise taxes by more than the Pennsylvania Department of Education's established index of 1.7 percent for the 2013-14 fiscal year.

East Penn Business Manager Debra Surdoval explained how the district was able to stay under the index because the ending balance in 2012 was higher than budgeted due to refinancing and low interest rates on variable debt.

Though the district received approval for an index of 2.91 percent in 2012-2013, compared to the PDE's established 1.7 percent, the actual increase was only 1.3 percent. The rate is the same for 2013-2014 and after the Jan. 14 resolution, no increase will exceed that rate.

Surdoval reported the district had spent $1.3 million less in 2011-2012 than had been budgeted for and received about $1,013,000 more in revenue than expected. Rental and sinking fund revenue also exceeded budget by $994,270. Surdoval said costs are rising, particularly in charter school tuition and enrollment, not to mention a 37 percent increase in the retirement rate for next year's budget.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Seidenberger assured the board they would be taking every measure to save where possible.

"We did the prudent thing," Seidenberger said. "We will continue to look at each and every line item and where we feel we can make a savings we'll do that. This year it's good news that we're not going to ask for any exceptions (to the index rate)."

Seidenberger cited transportation costs among line items to be evaluated in the future. Though once again parents of Willow Lane Elementary School rose before the board of directors Monday evening, no official action was taken on the issue of busing students to the school. Nearly all of the 10 parents who spoke had raised their concerns at previous meetings. The position of the board stands: busing for students living within a mile and a half of the school will not be provided. The board's decision has raised a multitude of community-wide concerns regarding roads, school zone signage, traffic increase and most of all the safety of the children.

Some complained of the difficulties of making up to three round trips to the school every day for children in different grades and cited the rising number of accidents at Sauerkraut Lane as reason enough to reconsider the removal of busing. The parents in attendance said they are not satisfied with the results of the district's "walkability" study done over the area. Despite the study's results, many said their children would not be walking to the school.

Patrick Armstrong, of Macungie, pointed out an item on the board's agenda regarding the Tax Increment Financing Committee recently formed with representatives from the board. The TIF would use increased tax revenue from the Hamilton Crossings shopping center to help finance infrastructure. Armstrong found it "interesting" how the item appeared on the agenda in light of the district's determination to save money on transportation.

Seidenberger said the district had no control over school zone signage or crosswalks, which are paid for by the township.

"That's a line of demarcation," he said. "We're trying to work with parents on things we can control."

Seidenberger assured parents an advisory committee would be formed to discuss traffic issues and other results of the survey that parents filled out. When Willow Lane was opened, Seidenberger continued, completion of the building was running behind schedule and the board decided to issue a one-year waiver of the walking radius. A letter was written and mailed to every parent.

"This notion that it's strictly about budget is dead wrong," Seidenberger said.

The superintendent went on to say the walkability study had been conducted in October, 2010, and the plans for instituting this had been in the works since then.

Besides some changes in traffic patterns, the plan has remained "pretty much the same." A couple of parents had suggested narrowing the radius to three quarters of a mile and Seidenberger assured them the option would be considered along with all other options including the cost of transportation for every student in the district.