The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 491

6-DC Sunday, May 28, 1989 The Philadelphia Inquirer EDUCATION 1- A "baby boomlet" has forced 2 'SSaf-jC 4 4 Aiii ySSSSS 1 i i JKpfl -ret to fe22ls2M mm. mm rSSTo 1 -m ii mmmmfm jii iKpfipi ii iia mmstmms to-" 1 iir 'r. ul iWSllilf): 1 iA ii 10 reopen Trainer. Economics proves to be a hard course for Chichester schools FB ttiSiS the district Enrollment is up, income is down and the district is struggling to make ends meet. property assessments that can be taxed is not.

"Our tax base is significantly decreasing. We've been faced with constant reassessment appeals," said Superintendent John A. Kaczenski. In particular, large corporations, such as BP Oil Refinery and Sun Oil Refinery, have received lower assessments. For the 1985-86 school year, the district was able to tax $30.2 million worth of property.

That has decreased 11.3 percent, to $26.7 million for the 1989-90 school year. The board has approved a preliminary 1989-90 budget of $20.8 million. To finance it, the board is looking at raising Chichester's millage rate 88.48 mills, for a total of 470.44 mills. For the resident whose home is 1 SpwMI IB Th kttmm I JIM RUtSE district renovates the school By Nancy Scott Special Di Inquirer Trainer Elementary School in the Chichester School District is boarded up, vacant and quiet. But the sounds of children reciting lessons and playing in the schoolyard soon will be heard again.

This summer, renovations are expected to begin at the school. Chichester officials hope the building will be ready to accept 180 students in late December or early January. The Trainer school was closed in' 1984 after the district renovated two other elementary schools, Boothwyn and Marcus Hook. As has happened in "many other districts in the county, however, the last three years have brought what is being called a "baby boomlet" to the district's elementary schools. The renovations carry a $1.3 million price tag, and are among the changes facing residents in Lower and Upper Chichester Townships, Marcus Hook and Trainer.

Although the district's elementary population is growing slightly hovering around 1,700 Chichester's tax base the total amount of and out of sight when Kaczenski's to have received $588,000 and lost interest on that money. Also, the district's debt service for 1989-90 will rise about $20,000 because Chichester has been forced to borrow $588,000 to cover expenses. Finally, the district was hit with two large items it did not plan to pay for this yean repayment of $86,000 to the state Department of Education for an overpayment in 1987-88; and an $80,000 transportation bill for special-education, students being bused to Delaware County Intermediate Unit centers. The district bad estimated paying $12,000 for such transportation. At the board's meeting this week, members said they were worried about future tax increases for their The graffiti will be cleaned up assessed at the district's average of $2,000, the proposed increase would cost an additional $176.96.

Roberta Hartzell, who has been the district's business manager since December, said at a budget workshop Tuesday that the district was expected to be $108,074 short when it closed its books on June 30. That shortfall has been attributed to a number of factors. According to Hartzell, the district overestimated revenues from investments. Chichester expected to receive $598,000, but now is estimated to earn $410,000. In addition, the district, like others in Delaware County, has not received its special-education reimbursement fronr the state Department of Education.

The district was district. "I strongly believe we've got to start projecting out two or three years what we want to do, where are we going. Then we can tell the residents what's going on, or else we're going to see a gigantic war," said board President Daniel Sculley. "I dont see a gigantic war. The residents have understood, and want excellence in education," said member Ruth Ann McCalL The board's newest member, Ron Beachboard, who was sworn in last month, said that it might not always be that way: "We cannot ask the taxpayer to pay these amounts every year.

The board and the superintendent are going to have to see where things can be cut.".