The price of everything, from gasoline to food, is climbing these days, and public education is no exception.

Valley school districts recently adopted budgets for the 2008-09 school year and several increased spending and taxes above the rate of inflation, which is 4.08 percent.

At Shikellamy, the district's approved $37 million budget rose by 6.9 percent, or about $2.4 million, and taxes are up 7.2 percent.

"To achieve educational goals, (the school board) was willing to bite the bullet," said Dave Sinopoli, Shikellamy district business manager.

He attributed the steep rise to a decision to spend about $250,000 for textbooks, as well as upgrading technology and significant increases in natural gas, fuel, salaries and benefits.

Under Selinsgrove Area's adopted $32.28 million budget, spending is up 4.3 percent, or $1.33 million, and taxes rose by 5.6 percent.

Jeffrey Hummel, Selinsgrove district business manager, said debt service on multimillion-dollar building renovation projects and 3.9 percent wage increases, along with other cost increases, contributed to the higher taxes.

The Milton Area School District's $25.6 million budget requires real estate taxes to rise 2.9 mills, or 6.05 percent, in Northumberland County, and 0.2 mills, or 1.98 percent, in Union County.

Milton district business manager Brian Snyder said the reason for the disparity between the two counties is simple: Union County reassessed property values about three years ago and Northumberland County remains at the 1972 level.

Overall, spending is up about 4 percent, level with the rate of inflation.

"We (the district) pay the same bills as everyone else and costs are going up, for busing, medical, heat, pensions," Snyder said.

There's no tax increase under Midd-West school district's $28 million budget, but the decision to hold the line wasn't unanimous among the school board members.

Director Timothy Folk argued for a small tax increase to help pay for a proposed $38 million building project.

"You either pay now or you pay later," he said. "I would sooner charge the taxpayers a little now and a little later," he said.

A majority of the Midd-West school board agreed with President Sherryl Wagner, who said the district has an adequate reserve of $500,000 and could forego a tax increase this year.