No tax increase in Chartiers Township
Two decades have come and gone since Chartiers Township residents felt the pinch in their wallet from a tax increase.
And 2014 will be no different, as township supervisors are expected to adopt a budget Tuesday that will hold the line on taxes at nine mills for the 20th consecutive year.
But what next year’s spending plan will include for the first time is a capital reserve fund.
“It is a way for the township to slowly save for our capital needs,” said Jodi Noble, township manager. “We have $450,000 left over from 2013 budget plus we have another $250,000 from the 2014. Some unneeded accounts will be closed, like the Arnold Park account, the money transferred to this account and reserved for the same purpose.”
Noble said the reserve account should open up with a balance of just less than one million dollars.
The budget for road paving is increased in next year’s budget.
“There are a number of roads that need repaired,” Noble said, adding that no firm list of what roads will be fixed has yet been compiled. “We will do that in the spring because some things can change over the winter. We do plan on early bidding.”
Some work will be done by township crews while others will be done by a paving contractor.
Allison Hollow Road also will be reconstructed next year, using Act 13 funds from the Marcellus Gas industry. The township is also talking with Range Resources for some financial assistance on the project. Otherwise the township may have to get other financing .
Township officials also plan to make some improvements at the township building including repairs to the roof and a new furnace. The police department also will get new computers. Other capital expenditures planned for next year are the purchases of a new police car and a truck for the public works department.
The township will continue to give the volunteer fire department $80,000. Noble said $60,000 of that comes from tax revenue and the balance is from the local services tax. The township also donates $12,000 to the department for the social hall rental.
Each mill generates $56,000. The average homeowner in the township pays $321 in real estate taxes. Noble said the average value of a house in the township based on the most recent census figures is $142,900.