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Tamaqua Area Eyes Education Foundation: Board Opens Topic While Revisiting Paying for Programs.

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 March 2006, 12:00 CST

By Chris Parker, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.

Mar. 15--Faced with ever-tighter budgets, the Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday discussed the merits of an education foundation.

An education foundation is a nonprofit group that raises money for school district programs. The Panther Valley and Blue Mountain school districts have foundations.

The matter surfaced as the school board committees revisited the debate over whether to institute a pay-for-play policy for athletes and band members.

The board on Feb. 15 decided against the policy, which would have generated $18,540.

Superintendent Fred Bausch on Tuesday told the board that band director John Potlunas was concerned that he "would lose students" if the policy was adopted.

Bausch suggested that perhaps instead the district could begin charging "a couple or three dollars" admission to band concerts to help offset the costs of the program. Admission to the concerts is now free.

Bausch also said the swim team booster organization is planning to raise money to buy a new ventilation system for the pool, among other things.

School Director Glenn Behr suggested that booster clubs could give a small percentage of their fundraising proceeds to the district.

Board President Larry Wittig said it was common for colleges to have such a policy, but didn't know about public school districts.

"I think it's time to talk about a foundation," Wittig said.

A foundation would be able to pay for programs or projects that school officials might cut to save money, he said. It would not affect booster organizations, Wittig said.

Behr was concerned that it would be unfair if students soon had to pay to participate in extracurricular activities, then years later a foundation would provide money, enabling students to participate at no charge. He gave as an example a student who would have to pay a fee to play a sport, but had a younger sibling who would be able to play for free.

Business manager Connie Ligenza said she recently attended a conference at which foundations were discussed and that the "key to their success is community partnership."

Ligenza said she brought back a stack of information to share with the board, which expects to further discuss the matter when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

In other matters, Ligenza said the district should hear by March 23 whether the state would accept proposed exceptions to Act 72, the legislation that would offset property taxes by using slot machine revenue.

Under a state Department of Education formula, Tamaqua can raise the tax by 5.2 percent, or 1.58 mills, without being required to seek a referendum. Two exceptions in the law, one for special education costs and another for retirement funding, would allow the district to bring the increase up to 2.21 mills.

Board members said they do not believe a referendum would be approved.

Last month the board approved a preliminary budget that raises the tax by 7.3 percent after deciding to replace some full-time special education aides with part-time aides, increase fees and hold off buying textbooks for a few subjects.

The budget includes a 2.21-mill property tax increase and draws from the district's reserve because spending outpaces revenues. The budget projects spending of $23,519,884 and revenue of $22,683,297.

The district plans to spend $836,587 from an estimated $1,504,121 fund balance to balance the budget.

The board must adopt a final budget by June 30.

chris.parker@mcall.com

610-379-3224

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Source: The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania

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