With a vote looming on the final budget for the 2025-26 academic year, Northampton Area School District residents face a millage increase of 2.25 mills, from 56.27 mills in 2024 to 58.52 mills in 2025. That translates to a property tax bill increase of $137.47, from $3,438.10 to $3,575.57.

Taxpayers who qualify for the Homestead and Farmstead Tax Relief Act should see their tax bill reduced from that amount for 2025.

The Homestead deduction for 2025 is $198.40 from the $3,575.57 tax bill, which would result in a net tax bill of $3,377.17, or an increase of $110.93.

“We received an increase in the Homestead act,” said NASD Business Administrator Craig Neiman in an update of the proposed final 2025-26 district budget at the May 12 board meeting.

There are 12,827 homesteads and 70 farmsteads in the district that qualify, according to Neiman.

At the May 12 meeting, school directors voted 5-3 to approve the 2025-26 proposed general fund budget of $140,659,873, with a rate of 58.52 mills, and to authorize the administration to advertise and make the proposed budget available for public inspection.

School directors voted 9-0 at the Jan. 13 meeting to approve a resolution to not raise the tax rate more than the state-mandated 2025-26 Act 1 index of 4.8%.

The NASD proposed final 2025-26 budget had to be approved May 12 for it to be advertised and available for public inspection during the requisite 30 days before a vote on the final budget, expected at the next board meeting, 6:30 p.m. June 16 in the auditorium at Northampton Area High School, 1619 Laubach Ave.

Changes in the budget can be made up to the final budget vote.

School districts are required by state law to approve budgets by June 30.

“This is an important deadline (for when) the state requires that we pass the budget,” Neiman said.

The proposed final 2025-26 budget can be found at https://www.nasdschools.org/documents/district/business-office/financial-information/budget-information/206509.

A copy of the budget is also available to read at the district administration building, 2014 Laubach Ave., Northampton.

In his presentation, Neiman said the state gaming property tax reduction for 2025 for the district is $2,554,849. This is an increase of $331,934 over 2024.

The eligible property tax bills reduction of $198.40 is an increase of $26.55 from 2024 and a cumulative increase of $84.79 since 2021.

The Taxpayer Relief Act (casino gaming funds) was signed into law in June 2006 and modified in June 2011. This law is intended to ease “the financial burden of home ownership by providing school districts the means to lower property taxes to homeowners,” according to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website.

For more information, visit pa.gov/agencies/education/programs-and-services/schools/grants-and-funding/property-tax-relief.html.

According to Neiman’s presentation, the deficit for the 2025-26 budget, as of May 12, is $555,867. That is a nearly $6 million reduction in the deficit, which was $6,259,264 when the budget was first presented Jan. 13.

There were budget reductions of $3,140,560 and increases of $638,451.

The 4% tax increase will generate $3,201,288.

The deficit will be offset by money from the district fund balance.

Budget reductions of $3,140,560 include personnel reductions and reassignments, $1,260,697; Moore Elementary School summer 2028 opening, $900,910; three districts’ Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, including Factory, $553,953; staff computer replacements, $150,000; adjust districtwide temperature set point, $100,000; eliminate substitute custodians, $75,000; reduce district library instructional materials, $50,000; and reduce building budgets, $50,000.

Budget increases include capital budget line item, $500,000; Northampton Community College budget, $85,451; and Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 costs, $53,000.

In other business at the May 12 meeting, school directors voted 8-0 to approve:

• Cleaning, maintenance and general supply bids for 2025-26: general, $35,937.52; cleaning, $77,555.33; maintenance, $75,302.33; for total of $188,795.18

• Food service equipment and furniture bids: equipment, Denver Equipment, $139,417.11; equipment, Penn Jersey Paper, $146,348.98; and furniture, WB Mason, $32,865

• Renewal agreement with Aramark Educational Services LLC to provide food service management for the 2025-26 school year

• Utilization of specialized substitutes via contract with General Healthcare Resources, doing business as GHR Education, effective July 1 through the 2025-26 school year

• Contract with Sunbelt Staffing for speech and language services, first semester of the 2025-26 school year, with cost to not exceed $68,250

• Addition of Engineering Essentials Project Lead The Way course at NAHS, at cost no more than $7,400, paid through Title IV funds

• Appoint Jason Williamson, assistant business administrator, as the board treasurer, July 1-June 30, 2026, at no additional compensation

• Resignation of Kelly Fisher, 12-month secretary at NAHS, for retirement, effective Aug. 6

• Hire Keith Semmel, skilled maintenance I (mechanic) employee, effective June 2, at $34.82 per hour, with benefits

• Appoint Douglas Fehnel, head golf coach, as of May 13, at $4,874

• Appoint Vicente T. Bastidas, head girls soccer coach, as of May 13, at $9,427

• List of George Wolf Elementary School summer book library program workers and their compensation for Title I Family Engagement program with salaries paid through a Title I grant

• List of teachers and instructional assistants to provide extended school year and Chapter 15, Section 504, services for summer

• NASD summer career mentorship program, June 9-Aug. 15, for NAHS students and approve teachers’ and program coordinators’ compensation, paid through federal Title IV funding

• Accept, with appreciation, $500 from TopStar Express, Laurys Station Crew, Exxon Mobil Educational Alliance Grant, for Lehigh Elementary School students STEM activities and programs

• Accept, with appreciation, donation of two soccer nets to Lehigh Elementary School from Lehigh Township Athletic Association

• Appointment of Dr. Michael Baird, Douglas Vaughn and John Becker as voting delegates for Pennsylvania School Boards Association Delegate Assembly, Oct. 21 at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, Poconos

• Appoint Kristin Soldridge to expulsion committee; Parker Flamisch to facilities, finance and policy committees

At the May 12 meeting, school directors voted 6-2 to approve:

• NoRedInk (Northampton Area Middle School ELA), Fastbridge (NASD K-12 special education), McGraw Hill Reveal (grades 7 and 8 math) and BSCS (NAHS biology) as instructional resources, with costs included in the curriculum and special education budgets and Ready to Learn grant

• Contract with Devereux Foundation to provide education and behavioral services for the regular school year, Sept. 1-June 30, 2026, and extended school year, July 2-Aug. 30

At the May 12 meeting, school directors voted 5-3 to approve:

• Contract for Wilfred Williams, NASD chief of school police, effective July 1-June 30, 2027, at $75,073 for the 2025-26 school year