Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday compared budget proposals with and without a tax increase for the coming year.

The $40.1 million spending plan presented last month included a $2.8 million fund balance and a 2.41 mill tax increase, and the board asked to see a proposal without a tax hike.

Business Manager Connie Ligenza gave the board numbers that kept the tax rate at 41.77 mills, which means the district would have to dip into its fund balance to offset a $763,700 deficit.

Board President Larry Wittig wanted to confirm if the proposal without the tax hike still maintained a “healthy fund balance,” and the new numbers did work out.

Ligenza said the increased state subsidies in the governor’s budget proposal may remain in place, which would benefit the district.

Wittig asked if the court’s fair funding decision would have any effect on Tamaqua Area, as the state must change the way it funds districts after a judge ruled the current system unconstitutional.

Superintendent Ray Kinder said it doesn’t appear that reallocation would happen this year, or in this year’s state budget. The districts involved in the lawsuit, such as Panther Valley, had hoped for some leveling this year, he said.

The board will look at action on a preliminary budget in May, and a final budget in June.

In other business, the board’s Finance Committee discussed purchasing window coverings for the Tamaqua and West Penn elementary schools as well as the middle school for $14,647.

Ligenza said the coverings would create a barrier to prevent anyone from seeing if children were inside the building. The district will use Title IV funding under school safety, she said.

The Finance Committee also discussed moving ahead with stadium bleacher repairs, which will cost $60,494. The repairs will be funded under the district’s Capital Reserve Fund, Ligenza said.

The Finance Committee also approved the purchase of envelopes and postage for the 2023 tax bills through the U.S. Postal Service at a cost of $12,925.