Senior citizens seek tax relief from South Fayette School Board
A contingent of South Fayette Township senior citizens filled the seats at the Sept. 27 school board meeting to raise concerns about high school district taxes that they feel are forcing aging residents to leave the township.
Of those present, three addressed the board to appeal for a solution to their situation. One, a former district employee, said that in the time since her retirement in 2006, school taxes have increased by 75 percent. Her income has been reduced since the death of her husband and she, too, said she feels as if she is being driven out of the township.
Residents suggested working with South Fayette commissioners to devise some sort of tax relief for seniors, noting that represent less of a burden on the school district than families with children who might move into seniors’ vacated homes.
At their previous meeting, board members discussed the option to consider a volunteer program that may provide some assistance to senior residents, but no decisions have been made.
The board on Sept. 27 also considered the 2017 financial calendar as presented by Jamie Doyle of Public Financial Management, and advisory service for government and nonprofit clients. Doyle presented the board with information regarding the district’s bond issues.
After reviewing the numbers regarding two bonds from 2012, the board unanimously requested that she return to the Oct. 25 meeting with parameter resolutions that would start the ball rolling on securing the lowest possible interest rates. That could result in a potential savings of around $50,000, Doyle said.
Aileen Owens, district director of innovation and technology, addressed the board regarding an National Science Foundation grant in conjunction with Pepperdine University that would connect South Fayette students to an international network of other student clubs interested in learning about media and technology.
The South Fayette club would begin with 10 students who have an interest in technology and media, along with two teachers and a project manager. They would create training videos to share with global partners. The grant falls in line with the South Fayette curriculum and the districts commitment to teaching “computational thinking as the new literacy,” said Owens.
The district also congratulated three students who have been selected National Merit Scholarship finalists: seniors Yuchen Liu, Grace Eckroate and Sai Bhatte. They represent the most selected at one time in the district’s history, Superintendent Billie Rondinelli said.