JACKSON TWP — If taxes are increased when the Seneca Valley School Board approves the budget in June, they cannot rise more than 4.1%.

The school board voted at its Monday night meeting to approve the tax index received by the state Department of Education.

The department each year metes out Act 1 tax indexes to all 500 school districts in Pennsylvania.

School districts may not increase school taxes beyond the mandated amount without special permission, but school boards must approve the indexes determined by the education department.

A 4.1% tax increase, which the school board has not indicated will occur, equals 5.34 mills in the district.

Board member Eric DiTullio asked Lynn Burtner, district business manager, if the 4.1% number was inordinately high compared to other years.

She replied that it is a higher index than in recent years.

Burtner explained after the meeting that each district’s Act 1 index is driven by school employee wages and the district’s total cost of employment.

“This (index percentage) is intended to reflect those costs,” Burtner said.

She said it is too soon to determine the monetary equivalent of 4.1% at this time due to the ongoing tax collection process.

Seneca Valley employs 880 people, Burtner said.