BUTLER TWP — Taxes will not increase for residents of Butler Area School District, according to the proposed 2025-26 budget presented to and approved by the school board on Monday, May 12.

The proposed budget will see about a 2.5% increase, from just under $115 million in revenues and expenditures to nearly $118 million. The biggest increases in expenditures come from employee benefits and miscellaneous services, which both are increasing by about $2.5 million.

Superintendent Brian White said he had three priorities in mind when helping create the budget: students’ needs, avoiding a tax increase and avoiding furloughs on staff. White said avoiding furloughs was a new priority after recognizing how much losing experienced staff truly costs.

“I just read a study, and the cost of replacing a teacher, when you factor in all the professional development for someone who’s been in a classroom for three to five years … the replacement value is somewhere near $20,000 to $25,000,” White told the board.

During the committee of the whole meeting, White walked the school board through a presentation highlighting key points, especially with external factors.

White said the district is keeping an eye on federal funding, but does not expect any serious federal cuts to affect this year’s budget. As for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget, he said they designed the district’s budget under the assumption that it would not pass in its current state, instead predicting a smaller increase than proposed.

While the district was focused on a balanced budget without a tax increase, capital projects still are slated for the upcoming year. According to the presentation, some primary concerns include roofs, bathrooms, HVAC in large spaces, security cameras and lighting.

The budget was unanimously approved by the board during the regular meeting afterward. Now that the proposed budget has been approved, it must go through a 30-day public display period before it receives final approval in June.

“There are difficult decisions that have to be made,” board president Al Vavro said. “The budget is a tightrope, I always say. It’s a tightrope between what’s best for our kids and also for our taxpayers.”