Property taxes could increase for the two largest school districts in Butler County.

The Butler School Board said Monday night that the proposed budget next year of $100.8 million would have a $4.4 million deficit in the worst case scenario.

That is without factoring in $1.9 million in proposed state funding and without a property tax rate increase, which could bring the district $943,000 if it was raised to the state maximum of 2.3 mills.

While board members did not discuss whether there would an increase in the property tax rate, several members said their support of building consolidation hinged on the savings countering any property tax hike.

The Seneca Valley School Board on Monday night passed a proposed budget that calls for a 3.45-mill property tax rate increase.

The $115.4 million budget for the 2015-2016 school year is $8 million more than this school year’s budget, which is $107.2 million with a 116.45-mill tax rate.

While the district anticipates spending more than $8 million in the next budget compared to the current budget, at least $2.5 million of that is for increased costs associated with the Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System.

“We’re forced to do a lot of what we do because the state Legislature hasn’t fixed the pension problem,” board President Eric DiTullio said.