5 of 6 Lebanon County school districts raise property taxes for 2025-26

All but one of the six school districts in Lebanon County has raised property taxes for the upcoming school year.

LebTown reviewed each district’s budget, pulling key numbers such as the millage rate, estimated revenue and revenue source, and major expense categories. Links to the budgets are included with additional details.

Property taxes are determined by the millage rate, which represents the amount of tax owed per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

Annville-Cleona School District

Annville-Cleona’s school board approved a final budget for the 2025-26 school year with a millage rate that went from 17.2834 in 2024-25 to 18.1044 in 2025-26 – an increase of 4.75%.

Revenues and other financing sources are estimated at $36,422,650. There is an additional $11,301,459 in the unreserved fund balance available for appropriation and reserves scheduled for liquidation during the fiscal year.

About $24.06 million is estimated to come from local sources, with the largest contributor being about $18.30 million from real estate taxes. An estimated $11.94 million is coming from state sources, and about $427,650 is coming from federal sources.

The budget outlines $36,422,650 in total expenditures.

• $20.50 million for instruction
• $11.51 million for support services
• $1.16 million for the operation of non-instructional services
• $3.26 million for other expenditures and financing uses

The largest expense in the instruction category is $14.51 million for regular elementary and secondary programs, including $12.92 million for salaries and employee benefits. Special elementary and secondary programs are estimated to cost $5.27 million, with $3.05 million going toward salaries and employee benefits.

Further details about the budget can be found below.

Cornwall-Lebanon School District

Cornwall-Lebanon’s school board approved a final budget for the 2025-26 school year with a millage rate that went from 18.3859 in 2024-25 to 19.2114 in 2025-26 – an increase of 4.49%.

Revenues and other financing sources are estimated at $109,699,026. There is an additional $34,755,000 in the unreserved fund balance available for appropriation and reserves scheduled for liquidation during the fiscal year.

About $74.21 million is estimated to come from local sources, with the largest contributor being about $64.40 million from real estate taxes. An estimated $34.12 million is coming from state sources, about $1.12 million is coming from federal sources, and $250,000 is coming from enterprise fund transfers.

The budget outlines $109,910,026 in total expenditures.

• $65.72 million for instruction
• $30.83 million for support services
• $1.65 million for the operation of non-instructional services
• $11.71 million for other expenditures and financing uses

The largest expense in the instruction category is $42.01 million for regular elementary and secondary programs, $38.04 million of which is salaries and employee benefits. Special elementary and secondary programs are estimated to cost $19.37 million, with $10.61 million going toward salaries and employee benefits.

Further details about the budget can be found below.

ELCO School District

ELCO’s school board approved a final budget for the 2025-26 school year with a millage rate that went from 18.0402 in 2024-25 to 18.8520 in 2025-26 – an increase of 4.50%.

Revenues and other financing sources are estimated at $56,612,167. There is an additional $6,518,435 in the unreserved fund balance available for appropriation and reserves scheduled for liquidation during the fiscal year.

About $39.28 million is estimated to come from local sources, with the largest contributor being about $32.02 million from real estate taxes. An estimated $16.65 million is coming from state sources, and about $657,778 is coming from federal sources. The budget also outlines $20,000 coming from a sale of or compensation for loss of fixed assets.

The budget outlines $57,348,678 in total expenditures.

• $31.72 million for instruction
• $17.96 million for support services
• $1.46 million for the operation of non-instructional services
• $100,000 for facilities acquisition, construction, and improvement services
• $6.11 million for other expenditures and financing uses

The largest expense in the instruction category is $22.20 million for regular elementary and secondary programs, of which $20.17 million is salaries and employee benefits. Special elementary and secondary programs are estimated to cost $8.09 million, with $5.71 million going toward salaries and employee benefits.

Further details about the budget can be found below.

Lebanon School District

Lebanon’s school board approved a final budget for the 2025-26 school year with a millage rate that went from 23.2400 in 2024-25 to 23.9100 in 2025-26 – an increase of 2.88%.

Revenues and other financing sources are estimated at $119,056,517, with an additional $41,374,651 in the unreserved fund balance available for appropriation and reserves scheduled for liquidation during the fiscal year.

About $27.47 million is estimated to come from local sources, with the largest contributor being about $18.37 million from real estate taxes. An estimated $86.64 million is coming from state sources, and about $4.94 million is coming from federal sources.

The budget outlines $143,427,889 in total expenditures.

• $63.30 million for instruction
• $30.33 million for support services
• $1.93 million for the operation of non-instructional services
• $35.90 million for facilities acquisition, construction, and improvement services
• $11.98 million for other expenditures and financing uses

The largest expense in the instruction category is $39.76 million for regular elementary and secondary programs, $34.13 million of which is salaries and employee benefits. Special elementary and secondary programs are estimated to cost $18.08 million, with $8.47 million going toward salaries and employee benefits.

Further details about the budget can be found below.

Northern Lebanon School District

Northern Lebanon’s school board approved a final budget for the 2025-26 school year with a millage rate that went from 17.3467 in 2024-25 to 17.8250 in 2025-26 – an increase of 2.76%.

Revenues and other financing sources are estimated at $51,199,275, with an additional $9,275,397 in the unreserved fund balance available for appropriation and reserves scheduled for liquidation during the fiscal year.

About $31.50 million is estimated to come from local sources, with the largest contributor being about $26.17 million from real estate taxes. An estimated $19.20 million is coming from state sources, and about $501,000 is coming from federal sources.

The budget outlines $53,191,057 in total expenditures.

• $29.84 million for instruction
• $15.64 million for support services
• $1.15 million for the operation of non-instructional services
• $314,000 for facilities acquisition, construction, and improvement services
• $6.24 million for other expenditures and financing uses

The largest expense in the instruction category is $19.58 million for regular elementary and secondary programs, $17.18 million of which is salaries and employee benefits. Special elementary and secondary programs are estimated to cost $9.24 million, with $4.78 million going toward salaries and employee benefits.

Further details about the budget can be found below.

Palmyra Area School District

Palmyra’s school board approved a final budget for the 2025-26 school year holding the tax rate steady at 18.1532 mills.

Revenues and other financing sources are estimated at $71,688,047. There is an additional $8,379,475 in the unreserved fund balance available for appropriation and reserves scheduled for liquidation during the fiscal year.

About $47.06 million is estimated to come from local sources, with the largest contributor being about $37.87 million from real estate taxes. An estimated $23.37 million in revenue is coming from state sources, and about $1.16 million is coming from federal sources. An additional $100,000 is coming from other financing sources such as extended term financing, leases, and other right-to-use arrangements.

The budget outlines $71,526,192 in total expenditures.

• $39.77 million for instruction
• $21.34 million for support services
• $1.49 million for the operation of non-instructional services
• $8.94 million for other expenditures and financing uses

The largest expense in the instruction category is $28.05 million for regular elementary and secondary programs, $26.50 million of which is salaries and employee benefits. Special elementary and secondary programs are estimated to cost $10.38 million, with $7.43 million going toward salaries and employee benefits.

Further details about the budget can be found below.