CHERRY TWP — The Moniteau School Board Monday night approved a $19.5 million budget for 2013-14 on a 7-2 vote.

Board members Kathy McBride and Roy Peffer voted no.

The new budget, which is up about $500,000 from the current school year budget, includes a property tax rate increase of 1 mill. That increase is about half of the 2.04-mill hike in the current budget that ends on Sunday.

The new tax hike puts the property tax rate at 84.64 mills, or $84.64 for each $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

The new budget includes use of $391,844 from the district’s fund balance. Of this, $100,000 is for budgetary contingencies and $65,500 is for potential projects next spring.

The remaining $226,344 is for other expenses — anticipated and unanticipated — during the school year.

“We have to have that spending authority for urgent, unexpected expenses,” said district manager, John D’Amore.

The largest part of the tax increase is to cover increases in salary, and benefit and retirement costs. Four retirements will save money for the district even though all four positions will be replaced. That is because the replacement employees will be paid at a lower rate than the retiring teachers had been paid.

June 30 marks the end of the district’s 2012-13 fiscal year.

According to D’Amore, the state of Pennsylvania has not given any indication that it would resume its traditional role of sharing the cost of public education.

“This is a tough time for all schools. We still have to pay everybody,” said board member Trixie Heck. “It’s a tough decision for our taxpayers.”