Parkland School Board has granted unanimous final approval to the $179,349,218 budget for 2018-19 at its June 26 meeting.

The real estate tax rate is 15.42 mills, 0.29 mill higher than the previous term, an increase of 1.92 percent.

For every $100,000 of assessed value, the property owner will pay an additional $29.

Taxes for a property at the district average residential assessed value of $226,989 increase $65.83, for a total obligation of $3,500.17.

To balance the budget, the district will appropriate $6.5 million of the Parkland Fund Balance to the general fund and $500,000 to the capital reserve fund.

Use of the fund balance will offset the tax increase by 0.89 mills.

Superintendent Richard Sniscak reported challenges impacting the budget include the increasing costs of special education; higher district contributions to the Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System; underfunded mandates from state and federal governments; and nearly an additional $1 million in payments to cyber and charter schools for a projected total of $4.8 million toward school choice.

On the revenue side, the budget is helped along by positive trends in the assessment value of real estate and continued growth in earned income tax due to higher employment levels.

Sniscak said Parkland continues to have the lowest real estate tax rate among the nine Lehigh County school districts based on millage.

He said the budget will enable Parkland to maintain excellence in the arts, academics, and athletics.

“Parkland School District’s 2018-19 financial plan provides for the most essential needs of our students while respectfully considering the ability of the taxpaying public to support a high quality, comprehensive educational program,” Sniscak said.