A new audit suggests many Pennsylvania school districts may be overtaxing residents.
According to a report from Auditor General Tim DeFoor, some districts are raising taxes while stockpiling funding in their reserves.
The audit examined 12 districts, including 3 in our area, Hempfield, Canon-McMillan, and North Allegheny. They were targeted for the audit
“School districts are flush with cash even as they promulgate a narrative of underfunding,” said Senior Vice President of the Commonwealth Foundation Nathan Benefield. “Many districts have been stockpiling taxpayer funds for years—increasing their reserve funds far above what’s necessary for a rainy day.”
The reviews found they had raised taxes despite having sufficient funds.
“The unused money then sits in the bank for a rainy day that may never come and taxpayers never get the opportunity to vote on a tax increase,” said DeFoor. “There’s a loophole in the law that makes all this legal.”
School …