Garnet Valley School District residents will see a 2.5% property tax increase for the 2025-26 school year as part of the nearly $130 million budget adopted by the school board.
The millage rate was bumped up from slightly more than 19.4 mills to about 19.9 mills.
It means the following:
• For a property valued at $250,000, the annual tax bill is rising to $4976.99 from $4855.60 in 2024-25, or $121.39.
• For the district average property value of $400,239, the annual tax bill will be $7967.94, up from $7773.60, or $194.34.
• For a property valued at $750,000, those numbers are $14,930.97 from $14,566.80, or $364.17.
Superintendent Dr. Marc Bertrando said that, “Our budget process is always guided by our strategic pillars: student achievement, safe and caring schools, and effective management of systems. At the same time, we remain deeply committed to fiscal responsibility, especially in an environment where rising costs affect every household and organization. Every decision wemake is about sustaining the quality of education our community expects while being mindful stewards of public resources.”
Commercial tax appeals have driven down the district’s total property value and the district faces a decline in its assessment base, officials said.
“Our role as a board is to ask the tough questions, weigh community input, and ensure that the district remains both student-focused and financially grounded. This year’s budget wasn’t just about maintaining services, it was about making deliberate choices that reflect our long-term vision, even as costs continue to rise,” said Board President Rob Hayes.
Garnet Valley will have additional expenses for special education services, unfunded mandated employee costs (Acts 71 and 126), and adjustments to school curricula to align with Pennsylvania’s standards, the district said.
Also, construction continues on the Pennington project, a repurposing of a former school building at 245 Bethel Road.
The district said the project is not the reason for the tax increase. The project is estimated to be completed in 2026 and 2027.
Greg Chestnut, the Finance Committee chair, noted that “In today’s economic climate it’s more important than ever to be diligent stewards of taxpayer dollars … We’ve worked closely with the administration to build a plan that supports our strategic goals while minimizing the burden on our residents. It’s a careful balance, and one we’re proud to have achieved.”
The vast majority of taxes expected to be collected in the 2025-26 year come from property tax (75.12%), with the remainder coming from state revenues (19.37%), other local revenues (4.38%) and federal revenues (1.13%).
The budget increase will be spent on increasing salaries and benefits, paying for professional and technical services, and other expenses.
Unlike in the 2024-25 fiscal year, there will be no funds allocated toward dealing with COVID-19.
