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While looking over a list of the school districts in Allegheny Co. with the highest taxes, most of the schools either have serious financial issues, like Penn Hills, or are small districts in depressed areas that really should combine with other schools, like Wilkinsburg, East Allegheny, Brentwood, etc.
But, South Fayette is near the top too and they stand out. This is not a poor area and it isn't a small, dying township. It's a growing twp with a solid tax base and an excellent school district. I don't believe they recently remodeled their schools to cause this, so what's the deal? Is it just a wildly mismanaged school district? How is this place growing so rapidly with such a high tax rate? At 26.7 mills that would be over $8k just in school taxes alone on a $300k home, which there are plenty of in that township with all the new construction. You'd think that kind of insanity would detract buyers at some point. Why isn't anyone rioting over this in South Fayette???
Sounds about par for the course for Allegheny county.
they are definitely high and people know it. it has kept a couple of my friends from buying. mt lebo is also known as being very high. mccandless or ross is best bang for your buck in the county, imho for suburban areas.city is awesome as well though.
But, South Fayette is near the top too and they stand out. This is not a poor area and it isn't a small, dying township. It's a growing twp with a solid tax base and an excellent school district. I don't believe they recently remodeled their schools to cause this, so what's the deal?
Act 88 of 1992 is a big culprit. It was written essentially by operatives of the teachers unions and gives those unions carte blanche in demanding and receiving pay and benefits increases. The other big reason is that the Commonwealth of PA does not grant its citizens a mandatory and binding referendum on local municipal bond proposals to build or renovate schools or for other purposes. If a school board wants to build a new $50 million dollar high school all that they must do locally is to hold an "act 34 of 1973" meeting. To heck with the taxpayers.
I live in Upper St Clair and our taxes are not much different than SF. Neither are Mt. Lebanon's. All three of those townships have top-notch schools though so if it makes you feel better you can imagine that its like getting reasonably-priced private schools that your neighbors are subsidizing. It's really a raw deal in the lower-quality school districts in Allegheny Co. that still have the high taxes and not much to show for it in return.
On a tangentially-related topic, I am curious why school taxes in Allegheny County are generally higher per dollar of current market real estate value than in surrounding counties. As far as I can tell, other than having a common basis for evaluating property values, the school districts are not related in any way that would tie them to their county, aside from maybe a few shared special education programs. I have always hypothesized that it has to do with legacy costs, but that would not seem to be the case for a school district like South Fayette, where growth is certainly more recent (probably on par with or exceeding Peter's Township in nearby Washington County).
Anyone have any good, critical insights here?
Note, I am not looking for things like "greed", "liberals", etc. I am really honestly interested in an assessment of the tax situation for Allegheny County schools vs. surrounding counties. It has never felt right to me, but no one has ever been able to explain why.
Always thought it not equal that an older retired couple in Mt. Leb pay school taxes but a person renting there with 3 kids in public school pay nothing.
Always thought it not equal that an older retired couple in Mt. Leb pay school taxes but a person renting there with 3 kids in public school pay nothing.
Trust me, those renters are paying the taxes indirectly through their rents.
But I agree that lots of empty nesters are subsidizing the schools for those who still have kids in school. Makes me wonder why so many of them hang around. I suppose their mortgage is paid and they maybe are getting treated kindly at reassesment time if they have owned the house for many years. And yes, there is that "volume discount"- the more kids you have the cheaper the effective school cost, if you look at it that way.
Always thought it not equal that an older retired couple in Mt. Leb pay school taxes but a person renting there with 3 kids in public school pay nothing.
Always thought it not equal that an older retired couple in Mt. Leb pay school taxes but a person renting there with 3 kids in public school pay nothing.
Already been answered. But, don't forget, when that retired couple had kids in the system, no doubt ANOTHER retired couple was helping them by paying. What about someone with 1 kid vs 4 kids? Should they pay less? I pay some of the highest school taxes living in McCandless, doesn't bother me. I value the education they provide.
But even though I don't live in the Pine-Richland SD, that frickin' 10 million dollar football stadium really honks me off!
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