Sharpsville Area School Board adopted a tentative 2003-04 budget that if approved next month will carry a tax hike of 6 mills, or about 11.1 percent.

Citing spiraling health-care costs and retirements as the major reasons for the hike, directors Monday approved a proposed $11.46 million budget that's nearly $600,000 higher than this year's $10.9 million spending plan.

Directors Kimberley Barringer, David DeForest, Lori Gill, Joyce Grandy, President Terry Karsonovich, Susan Pokorney and Charles Rice voted for the tax increase and tentative budget.

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