JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley School District teachers’ union has rejected a request by the school board that the teachers take a voluntary pay freeze to help stave off deep district budget cuts.

Board President Robert Hill relayed that message Monday at a school board meeting, one week before the board is set to vote on a balanced, $94 million budget that includes cuts to the business curriculum, teaching positions and substantial increases in athletic fees for students.

The proposed budget also includes a 5.6 percent mill increase, a move that is expected to bring about $2.75 million back in to the budget. If approved, the millage rate will be 105.6 mills.

Hill contacted union President Nick Ierino in April about the possibility of a teacher pay freeze to help close a $10 million budget deficit.

He heard from Ierino on Friday in a letter that stated the union’s stance on the issue.

“The Seneca Valley Education Association wishes to adhere to the new collective bargaining agreement that is effective July 1, 2011,” the letter said. “We do not wish to discuss any changes to this agreement at this time.”

School officials Monday weren’t immediately sure how much a voluntary pay freeze by teachers would have saved the district. The district has already saved about $180,000 after administrators took a pay freeze this year.

But he admitted Monday he’s disappointed that the union didn’t consider the request, especially after Gov. Tom Corbett in March asked every teachers’ union in the state to consider voluntary pay freezes.

“We’ve made many difficult decisions (in budget cuts),” Hill said, “some of which would be better tempered by the SVEA considering a pay freeze.”