A 2.8-percent Northampton Area School District tax hike seems likely based on a straw vote taken by the board of education.

The nine-member board, with all in attendance April 18, chose from among six options.

Option 3, which proposes the 2.8-percent hike, received five votes from school board Vice President Chuck Frantz and school Directors Judy Odenwelder, Dr. Michael Baird, James Chuss and Jennifer Miller, who said she would like to get to Option 5, which has a smaller tax increase. The 2.8-percent tax hike is an average $81.02 annual tax increase. The NASD administration favors this option.

Option 2, which proposes a 3.5-percent tax hike, received two votes from school Directors Robert Mentzell and Chuck Longacre, the latter favoring an element of Option 3 regarding the fund balance. Option 2 is an average $101.28 annual tax increase.

Estimated increases are based on the average NASD property assessment of $57,800, which accounts for 60 percent of district properties.

Option 5, which has a 2-percent tax hike, received one vote, from school board President David Gogel.

Option 6, which has a 0-percent tax hike, received one vote, from school Director Roy Maranki.

Option 1 is a 4.54-percent increase.

Option 4 proposes a 2.4-percent increase.

Option 3, with a 2.8-percent hike, uses $3.6 million of the district’s unassigned fund balance.

The 2.8-percent hike is under the state-mandated 2.9 index, although NASD has received exceptions from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for a tax hike percentage higher than the index. The district has never implemented the options.

NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik requested the straw vote, which is not binding, to give guidance to NASD Business Administrator Terry Leh, who must prepare the proposed budget in time for advertising prior to the next school board meeting, 6:30 p.m. May 9 in the NASD Administration Building, 2014 Laubach Ave.

The board will be asked to vote to adopt the proposed budget May 9. The board will be asked to adopt the final 2016-17 budget at 6:30 p.m. June 13.

In addition to the tax hike, there would be $3,604,294 taken from the general fund to balance the NASD 2016-17 preliminary general fund budget of $100,585,376, which was approved by the school board Jan. 11.

The preliminary general fund budget had called for a 5.24-percent tax hike increase, or a millage increase of 2.62 mills, from the 2015-16 millage rate of 50 mills to 52.62 mills.

Changes in the budget and percentage of tax hike can be made after the May 9 board vote to accept the proposed budget.

Several factors, in addition to the expected May 9 vote, could affect the tax hike, not the least of which is PDE Plan Con (school buildings renovation and new construction) reimbursement.

“We’re still not quite sure about (the) ’15-’16 (budget),” Kovalchik said, “because Plan Con is still being discussed (at the state level).”

For NASD, this amounts to about $927,037, which is the annual 2015-16 reimbursement for renovation and expansion projects at Col. John Siegfried Elementary School, Northampton, and George Wolf Elementary School, Bath.

“The spread sheets (regarding Plan Con) could arrive within a week from PDE,” Leh said. “Once we know the dollars, then we can take a look at what we can do.”

“The district is hopeful that a portion, if not all, of the Plan Con money will be part of the state budget,” Kovalchik told a reporter for Northampton Press after the nearly two-and-a-half hour April 25 meeting.

Miller asked what would happen to the Plan Con money if it arrives after June 30, the deadline for school district budget adoption.

The funds would be placed in the unassigned fund balance, which, at the end of the 2015-16 fiscal year, is expected to be $5.3 million, or 5.6 percent, with the overall fund balance at $17.6 million, or 13.15 percent.

Miller asked Leh if he was concerned about dipping into the district fund balance.

Leh said, “I’m always concerned about using the fund balance. I’m comfortable with it at this time.”

Kovalchik and Leh outlined 2016-17 general fund budget cuts at the April 11 meeting.

During the 40-minute budget discussion at the April 25 meeting, several school directors explained their straw votes. Here’s a sampling:

Baird: “I probably have more questions than answers. I’m concerned with the cuts we’re making and taking humans out of the classroom.

“I’m concerned with using the fund balance for everyday things.”

Chuss: “I share [Mike Baird’s] opinion. I’m in favor of the fund balance.”

Longacre: “I think we need to put an end to that,” referring to not replacing seven of 11 teachers and two of four instructional assistants for a net loss of nine professional staff members in the 2016-17 budget.

Mentzell: “We’ve eliminated some 30 staff positions. Being a 30-something-year retired teacher, that means higher class size.

“We have cut to the bone. I’m in favor of replacing (teacher) aides.”

Miller: “I think you have to consider the implications of going above the index. That’s going to be a not pretty headline.”

Odenwelder: “I can see the need for personnel. But I don’t think now is the time to do it.”

Former school board member Jean Rundle had the last word on the budget during the public comment portion of the April 25 meeting.

“You have to remember, we’re in a bind right now. I would have worked for a compromise of 2.4, never for higher than 2.8.

“In about two years, we should be in better shape with FedEx and the Jaindl project in Lehigh Township (expected to generate district tax revenue).

“We are not in the heyday when I started on the board and could hire anybody. Try not to tax the people out of their homes,” said Rundle.