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<p>UNION TWP. &#8212; The Northwest Area School Board made it official this week &#8212; real estate taxes will increase 1.5 percent to help finance an $18.7 million budget for 2017-18.</p><p>The spending plan was passed on a 5-3 vote. Directors Randy Tomasacci, Alton Farver and Darryl Morgan were opposed, while Michael Kreidler, Edward Bielski, Gerald Conger, Gary Boberick and Leigh Bonczewski supported the budget.</p><p>The tax hike will raise the millage rate to 10.7452. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,o00 in assessed property value.</p><p>When questions were posed by Tomasacci, who missed meetings in April and May, it was stated that increased costs for special programs and student bus transportation forced the need to hike spending by over $130,000. Boberick, who chairs the finance committee, said the impact to property owners will be about $28.75 for real estate valued at over $100,000 and about $17 for property valued at about $70,000.</p><p>Northwest also collects revenue from two $5 per capita taxes; a $10 occupational levy in Huntington Township; a $5 occupational assessment tax in Huntington under provisions of Act 511, and a district-wide .5 percent earned income tax.</p><p>Action on the budget came after the board approved the transfer of $32,474 from the capital projects fund to pay for a series of projects at several school buildings and at the athletic stadium. In addition, at the recommendation of the building and grounds committee, General Roofing Inc. was authorized to make repairs ($6,450) to the roof at the high school; repair the roof ($987) at the intermediate building; and repair the roof ($550) at the primary school.</p><p>In other matters, the board:</p><p>&#8226; Approved the appointment of Mary Agnes Kratz as a special consultant at a rate of $300 per day.</p><p>&#8226; Accepted the resignation of Amy Kachinko as a paraprofessional support person and head girls basketball coach.</p><p>&#8226; Acted to advertise for applications for a secondary music/choral director for the 2017-18 term.</p><p>&#8226; At the recommendation of Boberick, the school board meeting in July was canceled and the next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 23.</p><p>&#8226; Approved a resolution empowering Betsy Ellis, director of operations, to issue a letter stating Northwest&#8217;s intent to withdraw from the Pennsylvania Health Trust at the end of 2017-18.</p><p>&#8226; Heard Ellis report that a letter was received from Grant Palfey, business manager of the Dallas School District, in which he commended the work of Kristy Straub, Northwest&#8217;s financial manager.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Huntington</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Northwest Area approves slight tax increase