Whitehall-Coplay School Board accepted the resignation of board member Robert H. Kolb at its meeting Feb. 13.

The resignation became effective the same day.

Whitehall-Coplay School District Superintendent Dr. Lorie D. Hackett thanked Kolb for his service and dedication to the district.

“Bob (Kolb) was a teacher in our district, providing middle school students with instruction in social studies and as a reading specialist for over 37 years,” Hackett said. “Upon his retirement, he chose to continue to serve the needs of the district as a school board member. He was currently serving in his eighth year.”

Hackett said Kolb always put students first.

“In every decision he made, his focus was on well-educated and well-rounded students and supporting and providing our teachers with the tools they needed to achieve this,” she said, adding Kolb spent time researching and becoming well-informed on the current topics and, due to his background, was knowledgeable about curricular and academic achievements.

Kolb was not in attendance at the meeting but in a communication with The Press said, “I will really miss my involvement with the district. I really love our district and our mission of educating our children.”

In other matters, Hackett discussed the elimination of property tax as announced by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

According to Hackett, the elimination of property taxes will shift the burden of funding public schools on other taxing mechanisms, meaning higher personal income taxes and a higher sales tax.

“The plan is being touted as a victory for homeowners and a better way of funding public education,” she said. “But the truth is that it is not a panacea for taxpayers or school districts. Instead, the elimination of property tax merely serves to create additional, higher tax burdens for other taxpayers and destabilize the funding for public education.”

Hackett said property taxes are a stable revenue source, while income and sales tax fluctuate.

“Property tax revenue comprises 57 percent of the Whitehall-Coplay School District’s budget, and the school board will no longer have the ability to raise revenue to pay for mandated expenditures or respond to emerging needs of the district, including building repair and construction,” Hackett said, “and could cause a significant negative impact to educational programs, services and staff.”