School board passes 2017-18 budget at special meeting

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The Columbia School Board passed the final 2017-18 budget at a special meeting Wednesday afternoon. The budget includes a tax increase of .8508 mills, or 2.9%, which is within the district's approved index of 3.7% and uses $800,000 of the fund balance, leaving $250,000 in budgetary reserve. The real estate tax for 2017-18 will be 30.1908 mills.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Should have been 5.9% increase!
June 21, 2017 at 8:41 PM
Bruce L Murray II said…
This borough is the laughing stock of Lancaster county . Who in there right minds taxes the home owners out of there hometown !I laugh at all this SHIT cause i wouldnt send my child to this dispicable school district if i had to ! The home owners of this town should be burning that thing on top of the hill to the ground !This is gonna be a GHOST TOWN in 5 years , cause im done investing here!
June 21, 2017 at 9:40 PM
Anonymous said…
You are taxing people right out of their homes!
June 21, 2017 at 9:45 PM
Anonymous said…
PLEASE pass SB76 bill to eliminate school taxes SOON
June 21, 2017 at 10:11 PM
Anonymous said…
To the comment regarding tax elimination:

The school property tax would have been eliminated two years ago if Democrat Michael J. Stack III... lieutenant governor had not voted against it, he had the tie breaking vote in his hands and HE VOTED AGAINST IT. If he's ever on the ballot again remember that. He screwed us out of taking back control of our own money.

June 22, 2017 at 5:53 AM
Anonymous said…
Leiutenant Govenor Stack is earning almost $160,000. That's more than most of our country's Governors are earning.

So "we the people" think he is worried about our ability to pay property taxes.
Clearly he is not.

In addition, he and his wife are accused of treating their staff poorly.

June 22, 2017 at 6:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Keep in mind that at least three board members that I can recall have been appointed not elected. That is the definition of "taxation without representation." We did not elect them and they are voting to raise our taxes.

Whoever said that the increase should have been higher is earning too much money and cannot relate to most of the residents in this town. Much like Stack himself.
June 22, 2017 at 7:10 AM
Anonymous said…
The appointees are probably friends of Strickler. At least Leader and Hohenadel are not afraid to speak up.I believe they know what the taxpayers are up against with the taxes. This problem started years ago when the other side of borough government (council,zoning, planning) allowed single family dwellings to be converted into apartments. The damage is done.
Come on tax reform, merger,or state takeover.
June 22, 2017 at 8:08 AM
Anonymous said…
Here we go again!! When was the last year that we did not have a school tax increase???? As for as the new county assessment, if my property is re-assessed at $150,000 how do I expect to get that amount for my property in Columbia when my assessment is currently $100,000 and I can't sell it for that amount. Like many other properties in Columbia, people are losing money and giving away their properties because they cannot afford the tax base and now you have the re-assessment on top of that. It's a shame that seniors are forced out of their long-time Columbia residence due to the high taxes. How do you expect to get new long-term property owners in Columbia due to low property values and high taxes? I guess that does not matter because all the borough is concerned about is the business district. Why is it that we keep electing the same officials year after year??? And some elected officials do not have a clue on how the Borough and School District is being run! Nothing changes. Just go to the meetings, you will see! When a position is open on a board, see who gets appointed. He or she is usually a yes person. The Bottom line is all about controlling the spending.
June 22, 2017 at 8:51 AM
Anonymous said…
More people need to attend these meetings there were 8 citizens there at the 10 minute meeting. I want to give Jenna Geesey credit she was the only No vote. I'm happy everyone on the school board can afford these exorbitant taxes. They didn't pass it on Thursday but did on Wednesday. Why?
June 22, 2017 at 9:06 AM
Anonymous said…
That will never happen... They make to much money off of hard working property owners.
June 22, 2017 at 10:19 AM
Anonymous said…
Wish I could make the meetings more often but do to work schedule and time of these meetings I can't be done. I can't keep asking for time off for every meeting. The employer doesn't like it when you are always taking off. I work in Lancaster and live in Columbia. Its at least an hours wage lost each time to attend. They need to change the hours of meetings.
June 22, 2017 at 10:25 AM
Anonymous said…
Time for all of us to put are houses up for sale but then again who would buy them you said there were only eight people there well when you have a meeting at five how many people can be there some are still working or on there way home why don't they have it at seven could be they don't want alot of people there who might ask questions but then they always do what they want and they don't care what the people think we don't count







June 22, 2017 at 11:48 AM
Anonymous said…
time to concolidate. period
June 22, 2017 at 1:22 PM
Anonymous said…
Maybe Council could vote on using the Municipal Authority cash that they stole from the taxpayers, and give us a rebate.Na, lets buy property for future investments. How about giving us homeowners relief from future tax increases.
June 22, 2017 at 7:37 PM
Anonymous said…
Excellent question! What was the dramatic change from Thursday night's meeting to Wednesday's meeting?

There were concerns last Thursday, yet there was not one single word of discussion at Wednesday's​ meeting prior to the vote or even after for that matter.

Something was settled behind closed doors.
June 22, 2017 at 8:07 PM
Anonymous said…
We all know it was all decided behind closed doors like always sure are braking the sun shine law
June 22, 2017 at 9:01 PM
Anonymous said…
Time to deal drugs to make ends meet.....
June 22, 2017 at 9:58 PM
Anonymous said…
I was told to my face by a seated school board member, just last week that they were NOT voting for an increase. Guess what, he voted for it.
June 23, 2017 at 10:29 PM
Anonymous said…
You know they had it at 5pm so you COULDN'T be there. They don't want to hear what we have to say.
June 23, 2017 at 10:31 PM
Anonymous said…
Bruce I'm disappointed to hear you say this. Within the past year you have spoken many times about investing in our town and making it better. Now you're throwing in the towel......SMH.
June 24, 2017 at 10:59 AM
Anonymous said…
The Borough would by them so to cover that there isn't a problem.

I'm starting to look for a school free area to live to get ready do retirement. Don't want school taxes but will pay my property.
June 25, 2017 at 7:00 PM
Anonymous said…
How does elected borough officials allow their residents to be ripped off like this?
June 25, 2017 at 7:03 PM
Anonymous said…
Bruce Murray's opinion is a sign of a frustrated taxpayer in Columbia, PA. A lot of bright minds have moved out of Columbia in the past ten years, which leaves us to choose a mediocre government here in Columbia.
A special thanks to Columbia News, Views and Reviews for posting all the write in votes in this past 2017 Columbia Primary Election. If you can't smell change in the tone of the voters, you may want to drop out of the race.
June 25, 2017 at 8:29 PM
Anonymous said…
Nothing is getting better for the struggling working class in this town.
NOTHING!
June 26, 2017 at 6:47 PM
Anonymous said…
That's not true. Prices of single family houses are up from a year ago and inventory is down. Ask any local Realtor.
June 28, 2017 at 2:08 PM
Anonymous said…
It's actually a very good time to sell !, before it gets worse !!
June 28, 2017 at 2:09 PM
Anonymous said…
Ask an Out of Town Realtor, foreclosures are what's up.
July 1, 2017 at 10:50 PM
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