Real estate taxes Ambridge Area School District

the average yearly property tax paid beaver county residents amounts 3.49% of yearly income. beaver county ranked 375th out of 3143 united states counties property taxes percentage of median income. according report prepared pennsylvania department of education, total real estate taxes collected school districts in pennsylvania rose $6,474,133,936 in 1999-00 $10,438,463,356 in 2008-09 , $11,153,412,490 in 2011. property taxes in pennsylvania relatively high on national scale. according tax foundation, pennsylvania ranked 11th in u.s. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid percentage of home value (1.34%) , 12th in country in terms of property taxes percentage of income (3.55%). pennsylvania s 2011 tax burden of 10.35% ranked 10th highest out of 50 states. tax burden above national average of 9.8%. pennsylvania s taxpayers paid $4,374 per capita in state , local taxes, including school taxes.

act 1 adjusted index

the act 1 of 2006 index regulates rates @ each school district can raise property taxes in pennsylvania. districts not allowed raise taxes above index unless allow voters vote referendum, or seek exception state department of education. base index 2010-2011 school year 2.9 percent, act 1 index can adjusted higher, depending on number of factors, such property values , personal income of district residents. act 1 included 10 exceptions, including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, catastrophe fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. base index average of percentage increase in statewide average weekly wage, determined pa department of labor , industry, preceding calendar year , percentage increase in employment cost index elementary , secondary schools, determined bureau of labor statistics in u.s. department of labor, previous 12-month period ending june 30. school district market value/personal income aid ratio (mv/pi ar) greater 0.4000, index equals base index multiplied sum of .75 , mv/pi ar current year. in june 2011, pennsylvania general assembly eliminated 6 of ten exceptions act 1 index. following exceptions maintained: 1) costs pay interest , principal on indebtedness incurred prior september 4, 2004 act 72 schools , prior june 27, 2006 non-act 72 schools; 2) costs pay interest , principal on electoral debt; 3) costs incurred in providing special education programs , services (beyond paid state); , 4) costs due increases of more index in school’s share of payments psers (pa school employees pension fund) taking account state mandated psers contribution rate.

the school district adjusted index ambridge area school district 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.

for 2016-17 budget year, ambridge area school board applied 1 exception exceed district s act 1 index limit, due escalating teacher pension costs. statewide 299 school districts adopted resolution not exceed act index in 2016-17.

for 2015-16 budget year, ambridge area school board did not apply exceptions exceed act 1 index limit. school budget 2015-16, 310 pennsylvania public school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above act 1 index limit. 187 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeding index limit. regarding pension costs exception, 172 school districts received approval exceed index limit in full, while others received partial approval of request. special education costs, 119 districts received approval exceed tax limit. no pennsylvania public school districts received approval grandfathered construction debts exception.

for 2014-15 budget year, ambridge area school board did not apply exceptions exceed act 1 index limit. in 2014-15, pennsylvania school districts required make 21.4% of payroll payment teacher’s pension fund (psers). school budget 2014-15, 316 pennsylvania public school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above act 1 index limit. 181 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeding index limit. districts may apply multiple exceptions each year. pension costs exception, 163 school districts received approval exceed index in full, while others received partial approval of request. special education costs, 104 districts received approval exceed tax limit. 7 pennsylvania public school districts received approval grandfathered construction debts exception.

for 2013-14 budget year, ambridge area school board applied exception exceed act 1 index limit, due rising costs of teacher s pensions program. in 2013-14, pennsylvania school districts required make 16.93% of payroll payment teacher’s pension fund (psers). school budget year 2013-14, 311 pennsylvania public school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above index. 171 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeded index limit. pension costs exception, 169 school districts received approval exceed index. special education costs, 75 districts received approval exceed tax limit. eleven pennsylvania public school districts received approval grandfathered construction debts.

for 2012-13 budget year, ambridge area school board applied 3 exceptions (debt, pension costs, special education costs) exceed act 1 index. 2012-2013, 274 school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above index; 223 school districts adopted preliminary budget leaving open option of exceeded index limit. exception pension costs, 194 school districts received approval exceed index. special education costs, 129 districts received approval exceed tax limit. exception pension costs, 194 school districts received approval exceed index. special education costs, 129 districts received approval exceed tax limit.

for 2011-12 school year, ambridge area school board applied 4 exceptions exceed act 1 index: grandfather debt, pension costs, special education costs , maintenance of local tax revenue). each year, ambridge area school board has option of adopting either 1) resolution in january certifying not increase taxes above index or 2) preliminary budget in february. school district adopting resolution may not apply referendum exceptions or ask voters tax increase above inflation index. specific timeline these decisions published annually, pennsylvania department of education.

according state report, 2011-2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted resolution certifying tax rates not increased above index; 250 school districts adopted preliminary budget. of 250 school districts adopted preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates exceeded index. tax rate increases in other 19 school districts adopted preliminary budget did not exceed school district’s index. of districts sought exceptions: 221 used pension costs exemption , 171 sought special education costs exemption. 1 school district sought exemption nonacademic school construction project, while 1 sought exception electoral debt school construction.

ambridge area school board did not apply exceptions exceed act 1 index budget in 2011. 2009-10 school budget, board did not apply exceptions exceed index. in spring of 2010, 135 pennsylvania school boards asked exceed adjusted index. approval granted 133 of them , 128 sought exception pension costs increases.

property tax relief

in 2016, ambridge area school district approved 6,517 homestead properties receive $161 each. among beaver county school districts, aliquippa school district received highest tax relief - $376 each. relief subtracted total annual school property tax bill. property owners must apply relief through county treasurer s office. farmers can qualify farmstead exemption on building used agricultural purposes. farm must @ least 10 contiguous acres (40,000 m) , must primary residence of owner. farmers can qualify both homestead exemption , farmstead exemption. in beaver county, 64% of eligible property owners applied property tax relief in 2009.

2015-16 - $162
2012-13 - $161
2010-11 - $161 property tax relief 6,517 approved residents
2009-10 - $161 per approved permanent primary residence. in district, 6,534 property owners applied tax relief. in beaver county, highest tax relief went aliquippa school district set @ $350. highest property tax relief, among pennsylvania school districts, went homesteads of chester upland school district of delaware county received $632 per approved homestead in 2010. second year received amount.

additionally, pennsylvania property tax/rent rebate program provided low income ambridge area school district residents aged 65 , older; widows , widowers aged 50 , older; , people disabilities age 18 , older. income limit $35,000 homeowners. maximum rebate both homeowners , renters $650. applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of social security income, consequently people have income of substantially more $35,000 may still qualify rebate. individuals must apply annually rebate. can taken in addition homestead/farmstead property tax relief.