School taxes would rise one-half mill under the proposed budget adopted Monday by the North Hills school board.

The board adopted the $65 million preliminary spending plan 8-0 with board President Jeff Meyer absent. A final vote is scheduled for 7 p.m. June 9 in the North Hills Junior High School's large group instruction room.

Copies of the preliminary budget can be viewed for the next 30 days at the school district office, 135 6th Avenue, or on its Web site, www.nhsd.net. Click on the link for "2008-2009 proposed final budget approved."

The North Hills School District includes Ross and West View.

The proposed tax increase would raise the millage rate from 19.1 to 19.6 mills. The owners of a home assessed at $100,000 would see their tax bill increase $50, from $1,910 to $1,960.

"We are pleased to present a budget with an annual operating cost increase that is lower than the rate of inflation," Superintendent Joseph Goodnack said in a statement. "North Hills residents continue to benefit from a high quality school system with well below average property taxes."

Under the terms of the state's 2006 Act 1 education financing legislation, school boards cannot increase their budgets by more than an inflation-based index number.

That number is 4.4 percent for 2008-09, or the equivalent of 0.84 mill.

The proposed North Hills budget with its 0.5 mill increase would rise 2.6 percent, according to district spokeswoman Tina Vojtko.

The proposed millage increase would be the second in a row for North Hills. This year's budget included a 0.6 mill jump from 18.5 mills to the current 19.1.

Taxes jumped 2 mills in 2004-05 from 16.5 to 18.5 mills when the district undertook major renovations of the senior high school.

The proposed new rate for North Hills will be below the current county average of 22.25 mills, according to the school district.

The proposed millage increase would lessen the reduction in property tax bills district residents could expect from distribution of state gambling taxes.

According to figures released last week by the state, North Hills residents living in owner-occupied homes will see a cut in their tax bills of $128. To be eligible for the tax benefit, property owners must have filed for a homestead exemption with Allegheny County.

Information on homestead exemptions is available on the county's Web site: www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/realestate/search.asp.

Final approval of the school district budget may not be unanimous.

Mr. Meyer said he was not in favor of the 0.5 mill increase and might vote against it June 9.

"I'm a 'no' vote until I can get some satisfactory answers to a number of questions that I have," he said.