On Monday night, Easton Area School Board members were handed some sheets of pink paper that gave them their first look at the 2013-2014 budget.
“Is it a message that it’s pink and not red?” joked board member Robert Moskaitis.
No such luck.
The school district is facing a $4.2 million budget gap, according to preliminary figures presented to the board.
And that's with a projected 2.1 percent tax increase, said Michael Simonetta, the district's chief operating officer.
That means the owner of a property assessed at $60,000 -- the district average -- would pay $68 more next school year in taxes.
His figures did not, however, show the district reducing staff. Last year, the school district cut 169 jobs to balance its budget.
The budget shows the district spending $137.9 million in the next fiscal year, but bringining in $133.7 in revenue. The EASD's rising costs are being driven by salaries and pension/healthcare expenses.
The school board has until June 2013 to adopt a final budget, but based on past years, Simonetta said it's possible the district could approve its budget by May.
