Jefferson Hills officials plan to hold the line on real estate taxes with next year’s budget.
Council approved its preliminary spending plan in November with a goal of formal adoption at its Dec. 14 meeting. The millage rate is projected to remain at 5.66 mills.
Sewage and garbage collection rates are expected to remain the same as well in 2021.
“We did budget conservatively this year because of covid, and that’s how we’re going to operate moving forward until we’re out of the pandemic,” borough Manager John Stinner said on Nov. 20. “We’re trying to make sure that we cover all of our requirements and all of the mandatory things and contractual obligations.”
Projected revenues and expenditures were balanced at about $10.925 million.
Revenue includes about $5.087 million in real estate collection and a little more than $2 million in earned income tax.
Expenses include $525,000 for paving, $300,000 for a new public works truck, $79,000 for two new police cars and related equipment and $486,000 for parks and recreation.
Recreation funds include a $202,500 contribution to the Jefferson Hills Public Library. It is the same amount allocated this year.
Stinner said the borough plans to resurface the pickle ball and tennis courts at 885 Park, install sprinkler systems at Beedle and 885 ball fields, add more handicapped seating at 885 Park and add a new field to Tede Park.
Cameras will be installed at all parks as part of an overall upgrade to the borough’s security systems.
“As we’re putting money into the parks and recreation, we need to make sure they’re not being vandalized,” Stinner said. “We don’t want to see these assets damaged. That also improves our security network in the (borough) building.”
Council vice president Dave Montgomery said he hopes the paving budget goes further next year than the current budget.
About $125,000 out of the 2020 budget’s $575,000 allocation was spent on emergency landslide repairs of Waterman Road East.
“Any road that’s not passable we have to make passable,” Montgomery said. “That’s our responsibility regardless of how much traffic is on it. Hopefully, we won’t have a slide (next year).”
Montgomery lauded Stinner, borough finance director Jon Drager and his fellow elected colleagues for their help in crafting the proposed budget and staving off any rate increases.
“Once we set a budget we stick to it,” Montgomery said. “You have to constantly watch it. Every month you have to go over it to see where you’re at.”
The borough did lose about $71,000 in earned income tax this year due to the pandemic.
However, it made up for the shortfall in real estate collection with property evaluations up 6.6%.
“We’re projecting more real estate tax, probably due to new homes being built, but less earned income because there are less people working,” Montgomery said.
The budget is available for review at the borough building, 925 Old Clairton Road.
