It is down to three choices for the Weatherly Area School Board when it votes on a 2020-21 budget next Wednesday.

Due the ongoing modernization of the district’s buildings with construction costs of over $12 million, taxes will be going up. On the table are: a 0.78 mill increase – which leaves a $792,571 deficit for the year; a 1.4 mill increase that cuts the deficit to $700,820; and the 1.6 mill increase that was adopted as the preliminary budget at May’s meeting with its deficit of $657,665 – making for a tax increase of about $87 per $100,000 valuation.

All of these are reduced from the 1.91 mill increase previously discussed.

Ideas were sought from various groups in the hopes that savings can be identified. Nothing of substance has been offered up.

There is hope that Carbon County might step up to buy WiFi hot spots in bulk to help the districts. On the other hand, there would be increased transportation costs if social distancing takes school bus capacity from 72 students to 24, meaning more bus runs.

Board members agreed to extend the prepayment deadline for school taxes by 30 days, then do the same and extend the time for paying at face value by 30 days.