Panther Valley's School Board has proposed a 2017-18 budget with no tax increase.

The board voted 5-3 Thursday to pass a proposed final budget that would keep taxes at this year's levels.The budget includes $26,025,744 in expenses, less than one percent more than 2016-17. The tax rate will remain at 60.19 mills in Carbon County, and 51.47 mills in Schuylkill County.Keith Krapf, Joseph Faenza and Dan Haney voted against and Renee DeMelfi was absent.Superintendent Dennis Kergick said that board members asked the district to come up with a budget with no tax increase.In February, the board rejected a preliminary budget that would have raised taxes by 2.29 mills.Kergick said the proposed budget approved on Thursday will cover the district's expenses, but it will also require use of its fund balance.The district is saving about $493,949 through personnel changes. Meanwhile, teachers are still working under a contract that expired in 2015.Kergick said that the savings comes primarily from retirements by longtime teachers."As (the expenses) stand right now, yes. We have some people who are retiring, the intent is to not replace the people who are retiring."On Thursday, before passing the budget, the school board voted to accept the retirement of Carolyn Rider, who had taught in the district for 32 years, according to board President Wayne Gryzik."I want to thank her for her service to the district as well as the students and families," Kergick said.Rider is the third longtime teacher to retire in recent months. Last month, the board accepted the retirement of Bobby-L Paparozzi, who taught for 23 years, and Lisa Eberts, a special-education teacher with 30.5 years of service.Kergick thanked the district's teachers union, the Panther Valley Education Association, for canceling their strike notice scheduled for May 22, and reiterated that both sides are committed to continuing to meet until an agreement is reached.