UNION CITY — Property owners in the Union City Area School District will see a modest increase in school taxes after the school board approved its final 2026-27 general fund budget during its June 11 meeting.
The spending plan totals approximately $23.6 million in expenditures against nearly $22.3 million in anticipated revenue, resulting in a projected deficit of about $1.3 million. District officials plan to use reserve funds to cover the shortfall.
As part of the budget adoption, the board approved a quarter-mill tax increase for residents of Union City Borough and Union Township in Erie County. The new rate will be 12.22 mills, up from 11.97 mills this year. For a property assessed at the district’s average value of $65,725, the increase amounts to about $16 annually.
Property owners in Bloomfield Township, Crawford County, will see their tax rate rise from 44.40 mills to 45.83 mills. Based on the township’s average assessed property value of $12,735, the increase will add roughly $18 per year.
The tax increase represents a 2.65% adjustment, which is about half of the 5.3% increase permitted under the state’s Act 1 index. District administrators have indicated the additional revenue is needed to address rising operational costs and inflationary pressures.
The board also renewed two existing local taxes: a 0.5% earned income tax on wages and other compensation, and a 0.5% realty transfer tax on property transactions.
According to district officials, this marks the first property tax increase approved by the board since the 2017-18 school year.
In other financial business, the board approved the district’s 2026-27 homestead and farmstead exclusions under Pennsylvania’s Act 1 tax relief program. Eligible property owners will receive a $386 reduction in the assessed value used to calculate school property taxes.
Board members George Trauner, Stephen Gilbert, Corey Bailey, Christopher Brenner, Douglas Hopson, Kimberle Thomas and John Tingley II voted in favor of the financial package, including the budget and tax relief resolution. David Tillotson cast the lone dissenting vote. Kyle Troyer was absent from the meeting.
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