The Plum Borough School District on Monday received a recommendation from its local tax study commission that the school district levy a new 0.9 percent earned income tax.

The commission, which comprised school board member Paul Olijar, and district residents Lisa Zourelias, Maurice Fey, Anthony Shreve and Joe Walko, recommended the earned income tax instead of shifting to a personal income tax scheme.

Mr. Walko told school board members that the commission's nonbinding recommendation was a balanced approach to compliance with Act 1 of 2006 -- a new state law that required school boards across the state to create tax study commissions to look into reducing property taxes.

The school board voted to acknowledge receipt of the tax study commission's recommendation without taking a position on the report.

Mr. Olijar noted that the school board does not have to accept the commission's recommendation. The issue will be put to voters in the spring primary election. He added, that school board members also cannot spend public dollars campaigning for or against the initiative.

Speaking on behalf of the commission, Mr. Walko said the group's proposal was essentially a way of shifting the school district's funding scheme -- from a property based approach to an earned income tax basis.

Andrew Drake, a Plum resident, cautioned the board members to educate the public about the consequences of passing the tax study's recommendation.

"We need to educate the public about this proposal," he said. "It is bad, bad, bad."