Marshall Township to vote on 2023 budget on Dec. 5
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Marshall Township’s proposed budget for 2023 continues a 34-year streak in which the township hasn’t raised property taxes.
The property tax millage rate would remain at 1.42 mills, according to Marshall Township Manager Julie Bastianini. The township’s earned income tax would remain at a half-percent, where it has been since the township adopted the levy in 1964, she said.
“The Marshall Township Board of Supervisors take pride in being good stewards of tax dollars and operating in a fiscally conservative manner,” said Thomas J. Madigan, chairman of the township Board of Supervisors. “The Township holds an Aa1 bond rating from Moody’s, and has been able to leverage real estate growth to keep taxes low while delivering top notch services to residents.”
The 2023 spending plan goes before township supervisors for final approval at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the township building, 525 Pleasant Hill Road.
Proposed expenditures for 2023 include roadway resurfacing projected at $1.1 million, an amount similar to the 2022’s paving expenditure, said Bastianini.
The traffic signal at Warrendale Bayne/Mingo Road is scheduled to be replaced as part of the township’s Transportation Capital Improvement Plan. The replacement is budgeted at $329,646, with a portion paid with traffic impact fees and from the general fund, she said.
Developers pay traffic impact fees on new construction based on the amount traffic that will be generated by the new development. The fee helps pay for improvements, such as traffic signals, turning lanes or round-abouts.
The township plans to hire an outside consultant at a cost of $90,000 to assist with updating Marshall’s land development ordinance. The update is expected to be an 18-month project, with additional funding budgeted in 2024, according to Bastianini.
More than $1.5 million will go toward the Northern Regional Police Department, a joint expense shared with Pine Township, Richland Township and Bradford Woods.
Northern Regional Chief John Sicilia has requested approximately $6 million from its member municipalities, an increase of 2.58% from 2022.
Each municipality bears a different percentage of the department’s budget, with Marshall’s contribution being almost 26%. Pine contributes 36.43% and Richland 33.58%.
Bradford Woods pays a flat 4% percent annually.
Marshall’s $1.5 million contribution for 2023 marks a 3.12 percent decrease from 2022, due to a drop in calls for service this past year. The contributions are based on annual calls for service.
Pine had 36.4 percent of the calls this past year, Richland 33.5 percent, and Marshall 25.9 percent. In 2021, Marshall had more than 27 percent of the calls.
Roughly 90 percent of Northern Regional’s $6 million budget pays personnel expenses, including negotiated wages and benefits, according to Sicilia. The department’s budget also anticipates increased costs for workman’s compensation insurance and vehicles.
“Our patrol cars are bought and sold on a scheduled rotation to better help budgeting, and we are due to purchase five vehicles in 2023. We did see an increase in the cost of vehicles,” Sicilia said.
Other costs include a lease agreement for body cameras and dash cameras.
“We have found that although it is more money up front when it comes to technology, we save money in the long run and are able to utilize the most current up-to-date tools to better serve our communities. We do have several grant requests out in various stages, and I am hopeful some of these will offset the budget,” he said.
Marshall’s 2023 spending plan budgets approximately $361,000 for the Marshall Township Volunteer Fire Department. Northland Library contributions for 2023 would be $220,071.
The Township Recreation Fund budget would receive $1.4 million in grant funding from the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County for trail construction, which will help complete Commodore Perry Regional Trail.