JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley School Board members will vote next week on a measure that could allow the district to raise property taxes beyond its state-issued cap of 1.6 percent, if necessary.

The board Monday night discussed invoking Act 1, or the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006, which lets the district apply to the state Department of Education for an exception allowing it to raise property taxes above the maximum rate.

Since the district has a property tax rate of 100 mills, the 1.6 percent cap equates to 1.6 mills.

The exceptions to the rate cap are to pay for construction projects, special education expenditures and retirement contributions, along with significant reductions in revenue sources.

The only other way for the district to raise taxes beyond 1.6 percent would be to get voter approval.

Other school boards in the county that have expressed an interest in using Act 1 include Freeport and Slippery Rock.

To use Act 1, the board first would have to approve its preliminary budget soon. Normally, the 2011-12 preliminary budget would not be approved until May.

That would give the board about 4.5 months to work on the final version of next year’s budget, as opposed to the one month available without Act 1.

Board solicitor Matt Hoffman stressed that applying for Act 1 exceptions does not mean a tax increase is imminent. He said the move simply gives the district more time to work out a final budget.

District business manager Lynn Burtner said after the meeting that planning and predicting revenues and expenditures so far in advance would create challenges, but she said the district needs to pursue the measure in case a tax increase is necessary.

The district’s current property tax rate is 100 mills. One mill in the district brings in $490,000.

The board raised taxes last year by approving a 2.76-mill increase for the current budget. Board members Eric DiTullio, James Welch and Anthony Storti voted against the increase last year.

The board next meets at 8 p.m. Monday in the intermediate high school cafeteria.