In The Almanac's Mt. Lebanon schools face $2.6 million shortfall in budget article, Elaine Cappucci said that they will have to raise millage again, or "decimate" its education system.
Most board members hope to target somewhere between a 0.5 and 0.55 mill tax increase, and to use between $750,000 and $1 million of the fund balance.
Dan Remely was alone in preferring a significantly smaller tax increase of .25 mills. He favors using $1.5 million of fund balance.
“There comes a point where we have to figure out some way to protect taxpayers as well as our other stakeholders,” he said. “I am concerned we nearly have a tax revolt going here. Our schools draw people into Mt. Lebanon. These families are then being taxed even further, as we’re seeing in the papers.”
Remely’s comment references a controversial practice whereby the municipality of Mt. Lebanon targeted recent home buyers for property reassessments at or very near their homes’ sale prices – a practice the affected families have dubbed the “Mt. Lebanon Newcomer’s Tax.” Some of these residents’ tax bills increased by thousands of dollars following their reassessments.I don't know about anyone else, but I am getting pretty tired of this well-worn script. To use a Jan Kleinism, it is "typical for this time of year." We can speak of bonuses, trophy cases, and lucrative raises any other time of the year, but come February and March, they all start crying the blues. They even put out fake budgets. Searching for the words "fake budget" on Lebo Citizens, I found Fake budget will be posted soon. We get the same lists of unknowns. We know, that darn governor... But how do you do it? You want to make cuts far away from the student, yet manage to give Timmy his raise every year. What are you cutting this year? FLES?
Word is that "The Grievance" doesn't look good for the school district. Still hoping to hear any time now, right? Of course, "typical for this time of year."
For more on what Dan Remely refers to as a tax revolt, read Valuation changes, fairness pledged in Mt. Lebanon.
139 comments:
http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/BL-REB-23895
Wall Street Journal today--
"U.S. CEOs Expect Slow Economic Growth, Scant Hiring"
"tepid economic expansion and limited payroll growth"
What do Mt. Lebanon School Board executives want -- "more money!"
From Harrisburg, from tax increases, from capital campaign donors, doesn't matter. Just keep the dollars flowing.
In 2008 there were 5,416 students enrolled in our school district and the budget was $73,084,875.
Today, Steinhauer is forecasting a 2015 budget of $88,300,000.
In just 7 years the budget has risen over $15,000,000. Enrollment is projected to fall below 5,300 students and continue to drop.
And they are considering taking care of the the Wildcat/Middle artificial turf and turfing the Rock Pile.
They're just decimating the education system, aren't they?
Hi Elaine,
I read Mr Franklin's comments on the last thread. It sounded like he was upset that the name of his law firm was used...?
Why are so many issues in the community defined in terms of a legal position? Why can't everyone just get along, work together or engage in an alternative form of non-violent protest?
I'll tell you what... here's an idea... If Mr Franklin is upset then maybe Mr Franklin and the other athletic supporters can go on a hunger strike until they get what they want!
The same holds for the School Board members. If Mr Remley or any of the Board Members are upset, then they should all collectively have a hunger strike.
While they fast, we can all think of what, if anything, we can offer to alleviate their dis-satisfaction.
Now, isn't that a better way for our community to solve its problems?
Let's give every Mt Lebanon resident an immediate 75% reduction in their school tax and then we can all sit back and watch the school district go broke!
There's only one way to kill a snake - CUT IT'S HEAD OFF! ;)
Decimate the education system? Oh Pooch, you're so...dishonest. Maybe you should have considered finances when you and your cronies ignored the community and reality when you voted to throw away money on the high scho project. And maybe you should have considered finances and reality when you kept voting in favor of sweetheart contracts for teachers. Maybe you should have considered finances and reality when you kept giving Steinhauer raises.
See, if I have 10 dollars and spend 30, then borrow and spend another 20, do you really think it's acceptable to knock on my neighbor's door and ask for 10 more? You truly are an idiot.
And old Danny boy is wrong. People used to come here because of the schools. The drop in enrollment indicates that isn't the case these days. So Dan, you are also an idiot.
If they want a zero increase, they can first cut the head off of FLES/FLEX.
The PA Dept of Education allows schools to reduce head count due to programming changes.
This is a slam dunk.
More taxes? For what? Less students? If you raise taxes; less people will come; less people that are in the district the more you have to tax; if this situation happens, you'll get Wilkinsburg.
No, 8:24, you won't get Wilkinsburg, nice try though. A large portion of Wilkinsburg residents have no income, therefore, no taxes are collected. Look at the sheriffs sales in the paper, a bulk of the properties are in Wilkinsburg. They have no tax base, it is not because there are less people in the district.
And this is why I will sell my house and leave Mt. Lebanon. Taxation with very little representation. I would rather these budget increases be put before the voting citizens. It would make more sense.
I will be sad to leave, but the taxes are killing me. And, to answer the unspoken question, I do not live in a big house in Virginia Manor. I own a small house in the Foster area.
And this is precisely why I will sell my home and elsewhere. Taxation without representation is just fair. I have seen my taxes go up and up and up. I do not own a big, fancy home and I don't live in Virginia Manor. When was the last time the high school was awarded a Blue Ribbon? Exactly. Money spent on the wrong things. New curtains and trophy cases will not win the high school any awards.
Saying that you will sell your home and [move] elsewhere is music to violist (or is she a violator?), Kristen's ears. This is exactly what our local govt. wants to happen. Then they can go after the newcomers.
8:49 AM, we're neighbors and you know what happened to me when I put a roof over my front porch. They reassessed me before the job was completed.
Elaine
Keep raising taxes 8:34AM and see if I am wrong.
I'm not going anywhere. I'm not letting a few clueless bullies, especially some who are newcomers, push me out of MY community. I encourage others to stand and fight.
Before Kristen Linfante files another police report against me or contacts a lawyer, the violator comment came from a website which has Viola Jokes.
Elaine
Here is why I sympathize with the newcomers. I had been watching Woodland for a long time, since it was home to my former commissioner. If you just look at that street alone, there are some houses that are assessed less than $200,000 than their purchase price and have lived there long enough not to be considered newcomers. In fact, check out the vacant lot of my former commissioner. See the last time his taxes were paid.
Elaine
You do that, 9:39. We are selling and going to Texas. I only hope we sell to a local family. Ya'll deserve it!
Brilliant 8:34!
Yep, they built Wilkinsburg specifically to house people without incomes.
Tell me something, if you're a long time resident, when did you ever hear of anyone chasing blighted status to develop property in the bubble?
When did you ever see large store fronts empty in the Lebanon shops? (Yeah, I know its in Castle Shannon, but who patronizes the stores there?)
Did you ever, ever see MTLSD hire a $100,000+ employee to rattle a tin cup for donations to keep the school running?
Yep, we're so different from Wilkinsburg, Beechview, Dormont. People are going to flock here for our nail salons, karate shops and Beer fests.
It is predicted that the district's pension contribution is going to rise to 33% of the the TOTAL budget by 2020.
As it is now since 2008 we're averaging $2,000,000 budget increases every year. At that pace in 2022 the district's operating cost will be around $103,000,000 to serve around 3,100 students.
Meanwhile, Cranberry is predicting massive population growth, as is South Fayette.
Tell me, 8:34, why do you think the district's budget director sold her house and got the hell out of the bubble. Of course she's goinfg to recommend tax increases... its no skin off her back.
Job market stalls in Pittsburgh area
By Chris Fleisher
Published: Tuesday, March 18, 2014, 12:00 p.m.
Updated 10 hours ago
The Pittsburgh area's unemployment rate continues to drop, but so does the number of jobs, leading to concerns that the local economy has stalled.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January fell three-tenths of a percentage point to 6 percent, continuing a trend for the past few months, according to preliminary numbers released on Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry.
However, there were 1,100 fewer jobs in January compared to the same time last year, even as the rest of the state added workers.
The report reflected what economist Kurt Rankin has feared for some time: The seven-county region's economy is flat and is going to need a boost from the outside.
“Pittsburgh has exhausted its internal capacity to create jobs,” said Rankin of PNC Financial Services. “Pittsburgh needs the rest of the country to be growing the larger economy.”
The drop in Pittsburgh's unemployment rate isn't so much a reflection of employment gains, but rather a shrinking labor pool. People who have stopped looking for work — some out of frustration — are no longer counted as unemployed.
Pennsylvania's statewide unemployment rate in January was 6.4 percent, and nationally, it was 6.6 percent. The national unemployment rate ticked up one-tenth of a percentage point in February to 6.7 percent.
Trade, transportation and utilities had the Pittsburgh area's largest declines in January, losing 9,000 jobs from the month before and down 600 from the same time last year, according to the report. Much of that was because retailers released their seasonal staff after the holidays. Education and health services also trimmed workers, declining 3,100 from December and 1,600 from a year ago.
Manufacturing is an area of concern, too, Rankin said. That sector lost 1,200 jobs from December and was down 2,100 from January 2013. Demand for the fabricated metals, machinery and electronics that make up Pittsburgh's manufacturing scene has not picked up, Rankin said. Until it does, the sector will remain stagnant, as it has for most of the past 18 months.
“It's more of a stand pat and wait for reinforcements,” Rankin said.
The Pittsburgh area tied Altoona for the fifth lowest unemployment rate among the state's 14 benchmark regions. The drop in January's rate mirrored a decline in December. However, a labor analyst with the state was skeptical that the numbers would hold up a month from now once more data are collected.
A decline of six-tenths of a percentage point in the unemployment rate over two months is a pretty steep drop, said Ashley Kobal, industry and business analyst with the state department of labor.
“When we look at the labor force data, they're not making a lot of sense, even to us here,” Kobal said.
Chris Fleisher is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can bereached at 412-320-7854 or cfleisher@tribweb.com.
I don't sympathize with the newcomers at all. I don't sympathize with ANYONE that is underasssessed by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
My reassessment put me right at my sales price from a few years ago which I think is legitimate.
Why should I pay my fair share and these other people not?
If these people get what they want, then all homes would be underassessed by 40% but then millage would have to go up in kind.
Besides that, an underassessment of 40% based on what? Current assessment? In that case these people would be underassessd by over 60%.
I support the current municipal actions on going after the grossly underassessed.
As far as Dan Remely goes, the tax revolt started when he voted to spend $115 million on the high school. He is as much responsible for the current situation as anyone else in our town.
Notice this isentence in the Trib article 8:34?
"Education and health services also trimmed workers, declining 3,100 from December and 1,600 from a year ago."
At the same time what happened in the bubble? Our educators got big raises, took nice bonuses, demanded more money for a grievance, hired an expensive fund raiser and approved vague change orders and bought cafeteria tables, stage curtains and theatre sound system.
In a $113 million school renovation, the most expensive in the region, wouldn't you think those things would be included?
Yep, its all for the kids and installing artificial turf and expensive trophy cases is going to make it all better.
10:30 AM, i think the newcomers will agree with your statement, "I don't sympathize with ANYONE that is underasssessed by hundreds of thousands of dollars."
I know I agree with that statement. I believe their point is that the municipality is unfairly targetting the newcomers. Why are they stopping at 2006, when Linfante and Silverman bought their homes in 2005?
Elaine
10:30 I'm not sure that the newcomers are arguing that they are overassessed.
I think their argument is that they are being targeted based on their purchase price while similar homes get by with low assessments simply because they haven't been on the market in the past few years.
I agree with your comment about Remely. He campaigned to keep the project the project under $100 million.
But, when his fellow Republican came under assault when he warned this is where we'd be... he said nothing.
He voted right along with the majority for the Taj Mahal, pay raises, bonuses, change orders, and capital improvements.
Now, he's worried about tax revolts. Just a day late and a dollar short.
Elaine, they are stopping at 06 because legally they have a leg to stand on.
If they try to go back farther than that then the legal wars can begin and costs start to rise because it is difficult to prove market value without a full-blown appraisal which costs money.
The "newcomers" don't really have a leg to stand on here as it is an accepted practice. Yes they will sue and cost taxpayers money but this has been argued in the courts many times before.
Here, from the Legislator's Handbook:
http://www.lgc.state.pa.us/deskbook06/Issues_Taxation_and_Finance_01_RE_Assessment_Process.pdf
The sale of the property cannot lawfully trigger a reassessment by the county board of assessment regardless of the indicated purchase price. This has been deemed “spot” reassessment by the assessment statutes and by case law. A spot assessment based on the sale of the property in question is unconstitutional under both the federal and state constitutions. Although the county board of assessment may not reassess an existing property because it has recently been sold, the sale of a property may alert a taxing district, such as a school district, to appeal the assessment based on the sales price. Taxing districts have the same right
of appeal as property owners with regard to real property assessments. This right was upheld by the Commonwealth Court in In re Springfield School District 26 and Vees v. Carbon County Board of Assessment Appeals.
The Muni can't focus on a SINGLE house but they can go after a "class" of houses as they are doing here. In this case, that "class" is any home sold after 2006. I agree that it is convenient for many members of the commission and we all can have our opinions on why that is. But, that doesn't negate the fact that it is settled law that what the muni is doing is quite legal and common.
Additionally, in order to avoid the anti-windfall provisions, any money the muni gets in additional revenue should result in a reduction of millage.
Besides all this, the fact remains that PA law require real estate assessments be as close to actual value. According to the linked document, the courts have taken this to mean market value.
Again, the newcomers don't have a leg to stand on. They feel singled out. You know what, I feel singled out, too. I am assessed at what my home is actually worth. Why not them? I am carrying more than my share of the tax burden because they are underassessed. Where is my relief?
What has the dollar return been on the moneys spent on the fund raising campaign? If this is operating at a loss, why continue to finance it?
All true 11:07 as you day: "I am carrying mote than my share of the tax burden because they are underassessed" So too are the Linfante and Silverman-like properties that are obviously underassessed. Why should they and the commercial properties "pay their fair share?"
Why should they, 11:45 AM, or do you mean why SHOULDN'T they?
Elaine
Correction: Why shouldn't they... pay their fair share?
This past week I received a post card soliciting support for PA Senate Bill 76 for Property Tax Relief.
At first I didn't favor the plan, but hearing the newcomers plight and seeing no better options on the table for reform, I'm writing to Smith to support the bill.
Here's a website to get information:
www.RealReform76.com.
I always support Dan Miller's quest for a PA Constitution Convention.
Especially good reading on RealReform76's "Myth vs Fact" page.
http://realreform76.com/myths-vs-facts/#.UynDHid5mc0
Two subjects from RealReform76. You'd think the school board would be on board with this. They won't because they lose the ability to blame the governor for any problems 'they' create on their own.
Myth:
SB 76 is a threat to the local control we want to empower our school districts with.
Fact:
School districts not only get to keep their authority to levy taxes to fund their school system. School districts receive funds each year through SB 76’s income tax and sales taxes increase that come with no new mandates or strings attached on how to use those dollars. No new mandates on designing curricula or subject matters or testing criteria. No requirements to change current or future collective bargaining agreements between districts and teachers. And no new mandates or limits on how to spend or not spend those dollars year to year.Local control of local schools is not under assault with SB 76. The only thing that changes is that homeowners will no longer be punished or rendered homeless by out-of-control property taxes. SB 76 accomplishes this long-sought goal while keeping taxing and spending authority in the hands of school districts – and with the taxpayers who live in those districts.
Myth:
SB 76 prevents school districts from borrowing money to pay for new development or school construction.
Fact:
School districts retain their authority to sell new bonds or borrow additional funds to finance school construction and other projects. They will simply need to find a way to repay those loans through measures besides property taxes.
Hey Dan, you can continue to pay meaningless lip service to a "taxpayer revolt" or you can lead the charge and propose the board petition Senator Smith to support Senate Bill 76!
Bet you don't, you'll stick with the group and continue to blame your Republican cohort, Gov. Corbett.
11:07 you really don't know what you are talking about. they actually do plan to go back further than 2006 next year.
To whomever said they are assessed close to their recent sales price of a few years ago and they think that is ok... if you put your house on the market today would you be ok selling it for that price? If not, then you are under-assessed.
I have no problem paying my fair share. I do have a problem paying more than my fair share just because it is easy to appeal our homes. We all know of a home grossly under-assessed - those are the homes that need to be looked at by the municipality. I pay close to the same amount of taxes as a house quoted as a "mansion" with 4300 sq feet, ON A LAKE , with over 3 acres in Mt Lebo. I have a modest house, on a small lot, surrounded by apartments instead of a private lake. Sound fair? Well they have been there over 30 years so I guess it is to this town.
In addition to a "Newcomers Tax" we institute a "Exit Tax".
This would be a tax on the amount your home sold for above and beyond its assessed value!
Whatever the difference between the last assessment value and the recent open market sale is taxed on the amount times the number of years since the last assessment.
That way everyone gets caught and pays their fair share.
Wow, 12:41 PM, I see what you mean. I think this came up when I wrote about Cedarhurst's hidden gem.
Here is a map of the Cedarhurst Lake area.
Elaine
When Mrs. Cappucci threatens to "decimate" our education system do you think she'll start with cancelling the new trophy case, stage curtains, sound system and cafeteria tables?
Hey, I can live with the old ones for a while.
Or perhaps, do you think she's proposing spreading the pain around a little bit and recommend the administrators that got pretty nice raises and bonuses give something back.
How about those grieving teachers that were excited to get a Lebo teaching job in the first place.
Maybe they'd prefer to join the ranks of those 4,700 laid off education and healthcare workers that Trib writes about.
12:52, I have a better idea - let's just spend less money and make our school district and our local government smaller.
We live in a community of about 35,000 people. Do we really need all of this bureaucracy? Think about it - what tangible benefit has the school district or many municipal departments delivered?
For example, has an expenditure in MtL or the Public Information Office caused our property values to rise? Has the expenditure on an addition to the High School resulted in higher or lower property values? Has our economic development office increased the value of our properties?
There are a lot of things that we can wipe-out and our lives really won't be effected.
On a related point, I believe in the right (notice that I said right) of every American to own real property. Mr Franklin told all of us on Blog Lebo that he doesn't believe that anyone has the right to own a home. Mr Franklin said that he believes that home ownership is a privilege that comes with the responsibilities of paying taxes.
Apparently it has now become even clearer than it was when he made these comments that Mr Franklin believes that in order to have the privilege of owning a home in Mt Lebanon each home owner must pay for Mr Franklin's turf.
Thanks a lot Dave! We all appreciate what you have done for our community! Any idea when we're going to see any benefits from all of the money that the athletic community has inserted into our community expenditures?
So a group of parents would like another section added at their elementary school because class sizes are big (~26 kids/class) and the kids previously had smaller classes. Somewhere along the line, a teacher was dropped. How is their plea to the school district going to go over? Maybe a teacher from a small student population could be transferred....
Obviously, it saddens me as parent to see that requests for trophy cases, turf, bonuses, salary increases, etc. are seemingly easy to fulfill but obtaining the class sizes that the school district promises requires a battle... that might not be won.
This "I'm selling my house and leaving Mt Lebanon" is exactly what people like Dave Brumfield and crew want. His goal is to have 99.99999% of the seniors OUT of Mt Lebanon so he'll have more tax money to throw at his dream projects. He believes that Mt Lebaonon has way too many that aren't paying enough Income Taxes. "If I only had more to spend..."
Mr. Kendrick, I was being facetious with the exit plan.
Somehow, despite the boards claims of cuts, cuts, and more cuts, they end up always needing millions more. Plus doing things like raising student parking fees then immediately spreading that revenue in bonuses.
Bonuses for overseeing a renovation that is missing boiler feeds, weight room equipment, lunch room tables and chairs, auditorium sound system, curtains, geofoam, walls, lighting, sinks, ductwork, etc., etc.
Obviously, 2:46 you haven't been attending the Mt. Lebanon Priorities Seminars.
You see we absolutely must have trophy cases cases that cost a teachers yearly salary and Crown Jewel Turf so we can lure in more unsuspecting home buyers.
Its like a big Ponzi Scheme and appearances, doodads and trinkets make it work.
Shouldn't someone alert the police, Cappucci is suggesting we kill a large part of the student population or teaching staff or perhaps inflict great destruction. Isn't that a terror threat? ;-)
According to the thefreedictionary.com:
dec·i·mate (dĕs′ə-māt′)
tr.v. dec·i·mat·ed, dec·i·mat·ing, dec·i·mates
1. To destroy or kill a large part of (a group).
2. Usage Problem
a. To inflict great destruction or damage on: The fawns decimated my rose bushes.
b. To reduce markedly in amount: a profligate heir who decimated his trust fund.
3. To select by lot and kill one in every ten of.
Hi 2:57,
I completely understand, but it's frightening to give our elected officials any new tax ideas... ;)
March 19, 2014 at 2:46 PM is exactly correct; although I am sure Mr. Brumfield (or his crew) would deny that he wants to force anyone out; and I have no reason to doubt him. You see, our commissioners truly believe that what they are doing is for the "greater good" of the community - and that is why they are so dangerous. (History is littered with countless examples of "good people" causing an unbelievable amount of misery.) If their actions drive a few old people out of town then it is an unavoidable consequence - too bad, but unavoidable.
Mr. Kendrick is also correct. Unfortunately, a lot of my fellow residents seem to think of "government" the same way a lot of people think of God - a disembodied entity that one prays to for relief, or to bring down fire and brimstone on ones neighbor.
Lastly, moving or staying is a personal decision that should be made in the best interest of your family. Unfortunately, not everybody who wants to move is in a position to do so; some for family, some for medical, and some for financial reasons. But whether a person wants to move or stay, that decision should be made as a matter of self-interest without regard to the interests of the municipality.
They don't come up with new tax ideas. They come up with fees... like the stormwater fee... the proposed PAYT fee... so their increases aren't called taxes.
RG, there are people who would love to move, but their houses flood every year and their homes aren't very marketable. "Some" commissioners would rather ignore those constituents and vote for turf.
4:04 PM, don't forget school activity fees and student parking fees. 2:57 PM, those parking fee increases exactly covered the bonuses.
Elaine
My letter to the commissioners:
I am deeply troubled at the idea of only targeting newly sold homes for reassessment a mere three yrs after the court ordered reassessment. My question is why was 2006 used as a cutoff date? Why not reassess the whole community? I find it disturbing that you have voted to spend roughly million dollars on turf and are using a back door newcomer only tax to finance it. I notice that my commissioner bought her house in 2005 and is conveniently exempt from this reassessment.
Opinion from past vice-chair of the Allegheny County appeals board and also a past manager of the Office of Property Assessments on Mt Lebanon Newcomer's Tax.
"Lebo reassessment proposal pits neighbor against neighbor"
http://www.thealmanac.net/article/20140319/OPINION02/140319949&source=RSS
No one has any feelings or opinions on State Senate Bill 76 for property tax reform?
Here's a plan to fix a multitude of problems such as the Newcomers Tax and School District spending and no one has any thoughts... pro or con!
We are sheep.
Eliminate the property tax and include a provision that voters get a say in major money matters like they do in Ohio. That ends the teachers union from stacking their family and friends on the School Board. I've already heard that the School Board is ready to give teachers ANOTHER sweetheart deal with a big salary and benefits increase. We're rich right! Not anymore....
That opinion from Suley in the Almanac.
Is he saying drop the Newcomers Assessments and just accept the 2013 numbers?
That's the solution, ignore homes that are underassessed by hundreds of thousands of dollars in relation to their purchase price were bought in 2003, 04, 05 or later?
Wasn't the whole reason for the latest reassessment to correct the inequities from the 2002 reassessment?
So we know the system is once again broken, has no relationship to real life market values and according to Suley... we wink, wink, nod, nod and pretend it all never happened.
Bureaucratic logic if I've ever seen it!
Mr. Suley, let me see if I've got this right.
You recommend the district get the Newcomer's assessments rolled back to their values before the muni appeal.
We know the actual "Fair Market Value" because the muni won its appeal to have the homes raised to the purchase price, but we'll ignore it for ten years or the next reassessment.
Unbelievable! Break the system once again to fix the system that was broken before the muni tried to fix it.
All I can say is that there is no way the Newcomer's Tax makes newcomers feel welcome. How much work did the Commission put into public discussion about this concept? Perhaps there are some good ideas out there about how to remedy this situation.
But to me, it does look ridiculously shady to commit to huge public expenditure that caters to the "select few" and then suddenly start taxing newcomers.
The system is broken and I am wondering how the Newcomer's tax helps fix it in the long run.
If you look at all the more egregious things Mt Lebanon has done over many decades, you will see that they follow through with what they can get away with especially with vulnerable segments of the population. Who more vulnerable than people who just moved here?
If these Commissioners really believed that the system needs to be fixed methodically, they should a) show us how its going to be done, b) do it on their own homes and other muni employees first, c) provide all of the local realtors with the necessary information to provide ample information to prospective new residents, and d) post the plan on the website.
But, you know, the Commissioners and the muni aren't going to do that because... drumroll... they are bad guys (no need for gender neutrality on this one because it the really bad guys, are GUYS).
8:55, according to RealReform76.com, Senate Bill 76 proposes doing just what you wish for!
Visit www.RealReform76.com to read more myths and facts about the bill. I wonder why our state senator and representative aren't talking about this in the community.
Myth:
SB 76 prevents school districts from raising revenues on their own.
Fact:
SB 76 lets local school districts retain the ability to raise revenues through income taxes or other means (except property taxes) and requires voter approval for any new taxes or tax increases they propose.
And the two presidents, both girls, that pushed for the Taj Mahal and now the Crown Jewel are completely innocent! Yeah right.
You lost me at the end, 9:58 PM as 10:04 PM pointed out. Madam President of the Commission moved here in 2005.
Elaine
Correction from 9:51:
From my view of things, Madame Commission President was corrupted. She committed herself to the bad guys, so she is one.. but she's hardly a chief conspirator.
The worst players in the commission & muni are guys.
KL is a red herring in my humble opinion.
There will NEVER be Property Tax Reform in PA because the Teachers Unions and the School Board Association will squash it every time they fear it might see daylight.
So 10:35 PM, are you saying that "The Guys" made Kristen lie about the ESB's position on artificial turf? And they forced her to say 18 times how there were three votes for artificial turf before the meeting? And the cut off was 2006 because "The Guys" knew Kristen moved here in 2005? "The Guys" were behind those nasty emails that Kristen fired off to Kelly? "The Guys" manipulated Kristen to interrupt residents during Citizens Comments? "The Guys" were responsible for Kristen's tirades during Executive Session which were heard in the commission chambers? I didn't see any "Guys" around when she was heckling me during my time to speak at the school board meeting and present the petitions to the school board in 2010. Have I made my point yet, 10:35 PM?
Elaine
So 11:04, do you enjoy being subservient to the teachers union and the SBA?
Shoot any effort in the foot before it starts because "we'll never win!"
Good attitude.
10:35, that is the worst piece of rubbish I think I've ever read on this blog. Awww, she's just a poor helpless woman that was bambozzled by a group of overbearing, dominant men.
You just set back the woman's rights movement back 50 years.
If she's that easily manipulated, she deserves to be barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen!
Elaine @ 11:22. Good points! I guess it's like asking "Who is worse: the Joker or the Riddler?" From my viewpoint, when push comes to shove, in the muni, a male coalition comes together to strategize and that coalition leaves out KL.
Her egregious behaviors are observable, which makes it more likely we will all focus on her and allow for the sinister behind the scenes behavior and actions to go unnoticed.
More rubbish, 12:57.
Who's behavior has been focused on more than Bendel's, Brumfield's and Franklin's.
Besides that President Truman used to have a sign on his desk that read- "The buck stops here!"
If Linfante can't stand the heat, she should get out of the kitchen.
Just so we are clear...the district targeting newcomers is no new. I was "sued" about 20 days after I moved to Lebo in 2005. I was doing the startup thing (low salary in exchange for equity) and we had budgeted carefully. Low and behold my assessment (and therefore taxes) went up 50%. (After a bunch of bullying by the district lawyer I decided to take the offer rather than fight. Once I learned that they do not consider comps and that the ONLY evidence they accept in a situation like mine is sales price I knew I was hosed.) Fortunately, I was able to make ends meet. (And I do realize how fortunate I was.)
Other states makes this work. (Mine did and does.) No sure why PA can't get it right.
But again...targeting newcomers...it's the Lebo way.
12:57 - Linfante is ineffective as a president. She must step down.
2:26 PM, thanks for bringing that up. Dan Remely was, in a way, throwing the commission under the bus. This is nothing new to the school district. They have been doing this for a long time. I wonder if the newcomers are aware of that.
Wow! 20 days after you moved in! They didn't waste any time, did they?
Elaine
So how are the newcomer's chosen for the tax? When did this practice begin? How come some newcomer homes are overlooked?
2:26 I am sure the solicitor can answer these questions. I've experienced his dirty work as well.
Watch/listen at meetings: his voice is barely audible and he avoids eye contact.
I have a question about assessments and am wondering if any of you know the answer. It seems there recently have been a few cases where people purchase older homes and demolish them to build new. Or, people who purchase small homes and add a rather sizeable addition. When do these homes ever get reassessed? For example, on my street a home was torn down approx. 2 years ago and a new, larger home was built in its place. The assessment is still showing the old homes (significantly smaller) value. I can think of 4 or 5 of these cases where it seems the township/school would have a lot to gain. Does anyone know what the procedure is for these homes to be reassessed?
one might well note that there would be $3,000,000.00 (overruns plus "capital" items)+$18,000,000.00 ($113,000,000 minus the 95,000,000 for which Ms. Cappucci promised she could deliver the new high school), if the school board had been as prudent and responsible as they often claim to be...the waste and unreasonable excess of the "renovation" is what has put the school district under water, not the marginal issues blamed by a spendthrift board that will not take responsibility for the mismanagement for which they are exclusively responsible....it is not enough for the school board to admit it was wrong, but every single member who supported the untenable boondogle should resign.....
elaine: can you file a police report for robbing the taxpayers with predictable waste? if so, maybe someone else will be on the receiving end of a friendly call from Mt. Lebanon's finest ("finest" -- hmm, not a reference we could ever apply to our elected commissioners and school directors!)....
Spare us 12:57... "a male coalition comes together to strategize and that coalition leaves out KL."
Who gets left out more than Kelly Fraasch?
5:44 That comment was in reference to who are the main "bad guys"...but to make the comment more comprehensive, you are right... KF is the most out of the loop.
Is there a way to inform the County of bad information on homes? We have a house on our street that built an addition that was larger than the original house. They also have a double maybe triple lot but are assessed as a single lot. Also says that it is a two story when it is 3.
12:41 on March 19,
If you all know of a home that is grossly under assessed why didn't you cite that in your assessment hearing to get your assessment lowered?
By the way, homeowners can only appeal their assessment down, it takes a school board or a commission to appeal an assessment up.
So don't pick on your neighbors for appealing your assessment upward - that is not the way the system works.
If you ran into a lady named Nancy at your assessment hearing she is a MtL resident who lives on Morrison Drive. Tar and feathers for Nancy.
Here are the six largest assessment decreases in MtL:
-$313,700
-$340,700
-$1,254,200
-$1,710,400
-$2,476,500
-$3,266,100
Two of them are in the same building.
I forgot Mr Zamagias got a $1,000,000 decrease in his assessment under his purchase price so not all newcomers are treated equally. Thank the Commissioners for overlooking Mr. Zamagias.
Is this a systematic reassessment process: like reassessment occurs every year at the same time on properties that share the same characteristics or is it a random process that residents cannot predict?
Out of ~129 local municipalities, Mt Lebanon is the only one without a contact person listed for further information about tax millage.
http://alleghenycounty.us/treasurer/millmuni.asp
4:54 - We bought a brand new home in Mt. Lebanon - the old home was demolished about 2 years ago. The county website still shows that we are assessed at the old home's value, but we did receive a letter some time ago with our new assessment (and it's pretty much our purchase price). So just because the county site is showing the old value - it may just be incorrect.
All this discussion about reassessments and who is and who isn't paying their fair share is certainly interesting. But, shouldn't we be commenting on a school district run amuck?
Everyones tax bill is going up because the board needs to fine an additional $2.6 million.
If they use $1.5 million of the fund balance this year to keep taxes lower, then next year they'll still need $2.6 million plus whatever increase are piled on from this year. Making the hit enormous.
Or they can raise the millage this year to cover this years increase in expenditures. Then deal with next years shortage on its own.
The point is the budget, despite Cappucci's claims of cuts and more cuts, is rising faster than the community's ability to cover it.
At some point the camel's back is going to break, the smart people will flee and we will eventually become like Wilkinsburg with astronomical taxes.
President Cappucci's solution is - continue to feed us or I'll "decimate" your school district.
I don't know about anyone else, but I don't take threats like that very well.
Its not my neighbors fault that got lucky on the reassessment lottery, the anger should be focused on the board that got us into this mess.
I see that a certain school board director's house,which is on the market, is now listed as contingent. It was listed more than $200,000 higher than its assessed value. Wait till that gets out!
Elaine
8:58....I meant we all know of homes underassessed. Everyone I know can give an example so it shouldn't be that hard for the commision to target those homes regardless of how long someone has lived here.
Thank you for letting me know how I should handle my appeal but you don't really seem to know what you are talking about. Also, I never blamed neighbors. I am blaming the commission. Lastly, I am aware of Nancy but I think you have her street wrong as it was I'm my original appeal since she filed it.
If the school district were talking about cutting the millage rate would reassessments be as big an issue as it is now?
They need $2.6 million, they're not going to get it by appealling underasessed homes and Harrisburg isn't going to send enough to cover it either simply because it doesn't have it to send.
So they'll raise taxes, raise fees, raise salaries and be back again next year for even more.
Same thing the following year, the year after that and the year after that.
Yes 11:51 and nobody can even guess when the next program change proposal will be introduced.
I want to clarify that the municipality is appealing new homeowners, not the school district. Brumfield stated they did it to be "fair" because other homeowners complained. They had criteria they used to pick the homes but I understand that criteria will be broader this year. And this year, they decided to not only challenge 2014 but go back as far as 2006 (so catching 2006-2010 since 2011-2012 are done.) I continue to be outraged that they added this item to the agenda at the very last minute while 2011-2012 homeowners were at the meeting but not giving anyone who will be affected a chance to comment. There seems to be a complete lack of communication in the community. Now that I hear this while turf thing, I can't believe more people aren't speaking up. This community is full of health conscious individuals -- people do not know this is happening. Mtl magazine has a great vehicle for communicating these important issues via their social media pages but they seem to only be interested in posting stuff that makes us look like the best. I wish there was a way to get the word out about how this town is run.
7:53 AM, only one govt. needs to appeal because they both benefit in the end. It was pretty sleazy to add the agenda item at the last minute.
As far as lack of communication, that is by design. mtl Magazine and the rest of the mtl media from the Public Information Office (PIO) is just PR. It sounds like you may be a newcomer. Welcome to the community, but we have known that for years. You will also learn that the local newspapers don't like to touch controversial issues because they receive frequent calls from the PIO and get an earful. You may be disappointed if you try to reach out to the major newspapers. They call it "balanced reporting." In reality, they don't want to deal with the wrath of the PIO. The only "way to get the word out about how this town is run," is to tell people about this blog.
7:53 AM, the whole turf thing has been kept under wraps. Only the people pushing it are in the loop. Commissioner Fraasch has been learning about it right along with the community, through my Right To Know. Parents are just starting to learn the truth. That is why I wanted warnings printed on all the registration forms. That is the only way that I know to inform parents of the dangers of toxic turf, both organic and synthetic.
Elaine
It is curious that School Director Remely thinks that there is a "tax revolt" brewing .... perhaps what is more likely going on is a "wasteful overspending revolt" ..... just another example of trying to say that the victims of excessive and undisciplined budgetary abuse are "not paying their fair share" --- the true question ought to be: "what is fair"? Let the politicians pay their fair share by adopting a policy that anyone elected to an office with tax-imposing powers ought to have an immediate reassessment, just to keep their sense of perspective up to date!
Isn't Remely the one selling his house? Wouldn't it be smart of him then to make such a comment so he can actually get someone to buy his house and/or go through with the deal seeing as they will see their taxes increase significantly when they appeal 2014 sales? This really needs to be told to potential homebuyers.
Remely created one hell of a mess! His political legacy will be one of discarded lies that his supporters will bury in an unmarked grave!
This is a followup on March 20 9:03 PM's comment.
106 McConnells Mill Road is a private residence
0 Florida and
0 Washington Road are both owned by 650 Washington Road Associates - This building is often referred to as the Cyclops Building
1500 Washington Road is the Galleria
1121 Bower Hill Road is the Rite Aid.
410 Castle Shannon Blvd is the Rite Aid.
I will be following up with a list of addresses that received over $50,000 in tax assessment relief on appeal.
Elaine
that house on McConnells' Mill lane lucked out. What I don't understand is how that is not flagged or even noticed by the when municipality targeting appeals.
Elaine, you say "we have known that for years." You have known it and those that read this blog and maybe a few others? I just don't think the majority of the community have any idea.
I am told that these addresses received over $50,000 in tax assessment relief on appeal.
Elaine
You just have to laugh at that list. Look them up and see that some of them are nowhere close to their original sales prices of 20 years ago. Huge homes on prime streets. And they go after the newcomers. Seriously shameful.
How many went right to Osage and Hoodridge ?
I am sorry that I did. My house is assessed higher than a house on Hoodridge?????!!!
Elaine
I think I need to "downsize" and move to Virginia Manor.
Elaine
For those of you who don't know how to get to the Allegheny County Property Assessments, it is here.
Elaine
My home is assessed more than a house on Inglewood bought in 2007 for over $500k. It's assessed less than $300k and appears to be owned by the director of our library.
Just to put all these assessments in perspective.
A home underassessed by $50,000 of its purchase price is getting a tax break of $1,130.50 per year.
$50,000 x .02261 (22.61mills) = $1,130.50
There is a house on a well-to-do street that sold in 2013 for $680,000.
It is assessed for $352,900 in 2014.
A difference of $327,100 in assessed value to market value.
$327,100 x .02261 = $7,395.31 in tax savings.
Incidentally, on that same street there is a property that sold for $340,000 in 1996.
In 2014 that home is assessed for $362,100 according to the county assessments page.
So are we to believe that a home, in one of the best neighborhoods, value increased ONLY $22,100 over the past 18 years.
This in a neighborhood seeing homes sold at $680,000 or more!
According to assessed values on this street the school district apparently isn't doing its job of keeping property values high!!!!
Hey 6 pm
You wouldn't happen to live on St. Clair ?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
According to the county assessors, if you wanted to make a lot of money buying and selling homes your best investment would be in Sunset Hills, not Virginia Manor.
Actual sales prices and real world transactions though tell an entirely different story!
I think we are all missing the point. The school board needs a lesson in how to BALANCE a budget.
They are not the Steelers they just can't raise the ticket price! Perhaps all the board members learned math while attending Mt. Lebanon Schools?
It all boils down to the school district needs an additional $2.6 million to operate this year!
Cappucci has given us two options... raise taxes or decimate the school system or some combination of the two.
There's a third opton, but apparently the board, the administrators and the especially the union don't want any part of. That is recognize they dug this hole themselves and start rectifying the speed at which they've dug it.
Handing out lavish raises, hiring staff, only piles more debt on any already overwhelmed pension obligation.
Buying more and more bangles and beads, while it looks great, is superficial- it does improve the core duty of the district which is educating kids.
Until the three parties responsible recognize they created the problem, we're going to face shortages year after year.
Correction - it does NOT improve the core duty of the district, which is educating kids.
One of the first places I'd start with changing the district mindset is to knock off those absurd superintendent/student lunches!
If a $160,000+ "CEO" is looking to get feedback on district performance from a bunch of 7-14 years olds that have no prior experience on education except for their limited time in Lebo classes-- we're in friggin' trouble.
He has numbers of principals, assistant principals, assistant superintendents in the field that are there precisely to report back what is going on.
When was the last time you sat down for a pizza lunch with the CEO of GM, PNC, UPMC?
Everything being discussed here was predicted at the "How to Live and Govern in a Highly Taxed Community" town hall in 2010. The problem is no one in this community appreciates outreach until it is not evident to the masses which is why government is given liberty to take yours away. Best of luck to those who care because the 30 percent estimate that was stated looks to be underestimated. Do not forget that any undesignated funds over 10 percent of the operating budget is an over tax!!!
Constance Spicuous Consumption
If you discover that you household budget is going to short next year, do you immediately run out and buy a new home surround system, new curtains and dining room table/chairs and hutch?
Or do you start cutting back?
Retiring 26 teachers would be a good start, assuming they are not replaced. Closing two buildings would help too.
They won't close schools because its political suicide.
They won't layoff teachers and not replace them because its political suicide.
Its far easier to just raise taxes and fees. Look at Remely, he's voted for every spending iniative, raises, bonuses and tax increase and he got reelected.
Look at the Comparative Tax Rates on the Municipal website.
On Monday's Commission Discussion Session Agenda, our commissioners will be discussing a 2014 bond issue. This is on top of the toxic turf project that has not been completely funded. The school district is talking about a .55 mill tax increase.
It doesn't look like any of our elected officials will be cutting back any time soon. Our assessments are out of whack. Our commissioners will be rezoning Castlegate at Monday's meeting. Is this when they start talking about TIFs? Only developers get tax breaks around here.
I hope Monday's commission meeting is well attended.
I am sorry I am going to miss it.
Elaine
The commission has never seen a TIF they didn't like.Even the Galleria was granted a TIF by the commission but the school board had better sense. It really is bad when the school board has better sense than the commission but with two California transplants and a government banker on the commission what do you expect.
The commission is now carrying the school board's dirty laundry on many issues.
For those who aren't aware, President Linfante will not be at Monday's meeting.
Elaine
How could you forget the lawyer, 7:47 AM? The commission was never like this until the two BOSN (Build Our School Now) members joined forces. It is disgraceful.
Elaine
7:47, the school board had no problem voting for the Zamagias TIF.
The municipality has no problem doing the District's dirty work with the newcomer's tax. It's quid pro quo.
We knew that Mt. Lebanon had high taxes and highly rated schools, but if I had known I was going to be jerked around by the municipality and your school district I would never have moved here! That's not the way we do things were I'm from. You people may have one of the best high schools in Pennsylvania, but nationally it comes in at #510. Your school board may be operating around the edges of legality, but I think the people on it are immoral. I think that holds true for your commission as well. No wonder you can't find anyone around here who wants to run for office!
7:03 AM, I ran for commissioner in 2011, but I wasn't what Ward 3 was looking for. Be careful what you wish [vote] for.
It is a standing joke in Mt. Lebanon that when you email the school board, you get no response. The same is holding true of the commission. The commission president doesn't answer my emails anymore. Do you think it is because I have exposed her for what she is? She is missing tomorrow's meeting and again a meeting next month. Do we deserve a part time commission president?
Elaine
Elaine, forgive my ignorance but how does the voting work with Linfante absent?
As long as there is a quorum, it is business as usual, 11:09 AM. VP Bendel will be running the meeting tomorrow. There should be four commissioners in attendance. Hope that helps.
Elaine
Commission President Linfante made the front page of the PG today. Pittsburgh music group drops the S-word -- Society -- from name
Elaine
Hummm...Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society to Chamber Music Pittsburgh. Hey Kristen: how about we change the name of Mt. Lebanon to Beirut.
How many assistant superintendents are there? Could their positions become half-time, with the remainder half-time spent as class room teachers?
Apparently, Linfante only read the Cliffs Notes version of Ogilvy's books.
One of his first lessons is-
"The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife.
David Ogilvy
In her case as commissioner I'd revise his advice to-
"Don't look down your nose at your constituents and perceive them to be morons; they are your neighbors."
Pass it along to the school board.
Funny you should ask that 3:54.
There was a time when the district had a student population of around 8,000. The district has one Super and one assistant.
When Steinhauer came on board we soon went from one Assistant Superintendent to two with enrollments down to around 3,400 students.
One of the assistants just announced they are retiring. Does that mean we'll go back to one is anyone's guess.
3:54 PM, there are two assistant superintendents. One is for elementary schools and one is for the secondary schools. This was Timmy's idea when he reorganized in 2011. Up until then, there had been one assistant superintendent, who was honored at the last school board meeting. Extra Mile Award Recipients: Dr. Deborah Allen and Mrs. Connie Lewis
Elaine
That is what I meant, thanks for wording it better.
The fact remains the student population has declined dramatically since the highs if the 60s and 70s. Wonder how pre-internet, pre-cell phone and pre-laptop those supers got anything accomplished?
Fitting in pizza lunches with all those students must have been exhausting.
That and trying to find last minute subs for all absent teachers not certified in the courses they will be substitute teaching.
Does the Super pay for his pizza or is he sponging ff his neighbors?
Cooper must handle the pizza purchasing. Didn't he tells us two large pizzas cost $50.
Kind of like the Feds, who buy $750 toilet seats and $500 hammers.
Hey, go easy on Sir Cooper. He is a union member and can't help himself.
Quoted from Jake Haulk of the Allegheny Institute:
"The latest appeal program in Mt. Lebanon points to the utter failure of the Commonwealth to enforce its own Constitution through ensuring that property taxes are equitable, where none are given exceptionally favorable treatment and all pay their fair share of property taxes. It is not enough to argue that the assessment problem has always been a mess and there is no need to change it, so taxpayers should just grin and bear it. This is a particularly egregious position in view of the heavy reliance on property taxes in Pennsylvania.
As the size and cost of governments and the scope and cost of schools rise, the need for more revenue grows apace, exacerbating the problems of heavy reliance on property taxes. Clearly, the greater the burden of property taxes, the more it becomes necessary to ensure fairness. Enforcing an unfair tax system that is very burdensome will create fear of, and disdain for, government. We should do better."
More on Kubit.
Ed discusses this little fictional family merrily humming away on a $5,000 budget and uses them as a justification for not building any undue stress into the districts budget. He doesn't want ro make things tough on Timmy or Jan.
Unfortunately, Fast Eddie fails to take several realities into consideration.
His fictional family may be already paddling their asses off just to stay afloat right now. His .55 mill increase may be the straw that breaks the family's back. No stress there right, Eddie?
He fails to acknowledge in his quaint little family's budget, that they don't have tenure protection of any kind. In private industry they paychecks could go away real fast.
Plus, those wage earners that make "widgets" (that what Birks called the stuff made by private industry workers as opposed to the district's product of kids) can't hold those widgets hostage like unionize teachers can in most cases to get a raise.
Speaking of raises, is his family looking at a 7% raise next year? Do they contribute next to nothing for family health care? Are they guaranteed their employer will even provide coverage?
Do they have a lucrative pension plan far better than the average Pennsylvania workers'?
Do they park at their place of employment for free or do they face city parking fee increases?
Yeah its easy to spin fictional yarns about how easy it is to run a family budget, Eddie, we wouldn't want to make your job as school director to stressful!
Maybe you should ask Tim where the hole is the fictional talking frog fell in and watch as it bust its butt to climb out.
Items 1 (weight room) ,2 (trophy case), and 3 (cell phone repeaters) on the Capital Projects list are not critical items in this overtaxed township. Why not redirect those $ to a reduction in the proposed millage.
The $ that go to the Capital Project Funds are from the same pool of tax $ that are taken from the community. The taxpayers have no say in the partition of tax $ into Capital Projects and operating budget.
Jan says they're limited an inflation index for the amount they can raise taxes.
So why not limit the districts spending to that amount?
This year instead of being in the hole by $2,600,000 they should only be looking at increasing the budget by around $1,600,000.
Who votes for eliminating $400,000 for cell phone repeaters?
Its not like cell phones haven't been around for like twenty years and we've haven't been able to manage without repeaters!
Use the old trophy case.
There we've knocked $474,000 out of district expenses and we're now only short $2.1 million.
Cut the Campaign Chair and use volunteers and we're down to $2 million.
See managing a household budget isn't that hard, Mr. Kubit!
Cut out Tim's monthly pizza lunches with the kids (with Coopers $50 pizzas) and the district saves $500.
Now we are only short $1,999,500.
We could have that deficit whittled away to nothing in no time.
Just takes a little honesty, integrity and some work.
The board finds it easier to kiss a__.
Regarding "The Grievance" Jan quickly mentions something about having already set aside what I thought sounded like a big pile of cash for it.
I'll try to catch the comment in the next airing of the budget discussion.
1:57,
Since we lost the grievance you should file a RTK asking how much each teacher received and their names. That is all public information.
Forgive me, because I just got home from work and I am tired and cranky. But every time I read, "...you should file a RTK..." I just want to say, "File it yourself."
Elaine
And why should I do that 8:37?
As Elaine said, you're so interested in individuals' names-- you could file an RTK just as easily as anyone else.
How does the administrative cost per student in Mt. Lebanon compare with other school districts in Pennsylvania? The administration might be an area in which cost controls could be imposed to provide fairness to the overtaxed residents.
4:01, Our enrollment is closer to 5,400 K-12.
Yes, that 3 should have been a 5, thanks for the catch!
Actually according to the district's own documents 2013 enrollment is 5,218. Down 50 from 2012.
http://www.mtlsd.org/district/stuff/third%20day%20report%20090513.pdf
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