Peters Township releases 2014 financial report
McMURRAY – Peters Township’s fund balance increased by $742,077 in 2014, according to the municipality’s comprehensive annual financial report.
According to the annual report, which was given to council at Monday’s regular meeting, 73.7 percent of the township’s governmentwide revenue of $16.83 million came from taxes. This is a slight increase from 72.7 percent in 2013. The township collected in excess of $12.41 million in taxes, the bulk of which came from its earned income and real estate taxes.
The report noted Peters’ earned income tax – a 0.5 percent tax levied against wages earned by township residents – accounted for slightly more than $6 million, which is 9.8 percent higher than what was collected in 2013. Earned income tax in 2014 accounted for 48.3 percent of township taxes.
The assessed valuation of real estate in Peters totaled $341.457 million, an increase of $4.624 million, which reflects the value of new construction and additions completed last year. Real estate tax accounted for 35 percent of township revenue last year.
The last reassessment of properties in Peters was in 1981. A court-ordered reassessment is currently under way in Washington County.
The remaining portion of 2014 township revenue – $4.425 million, or 26.3 percent – came from nontax sources, such as fees for specialized services.
In other matters, council approved a resolution clearing the way for Peters police to begin using Narcan, or naloxone, a heroin and pain pill overdose antidote starting immediately. The prescription drug blocks the impact of opioids and reverses the effects of an overdose.
Chief Harry Fruecht said 20 of his officers have received the training, while five officers still need to go through the program.
Fruecht has ordered 14 kits, with each kit containing two dosages of the drug. There will be a kit in every patrol car and two kits for the officers stationed in the school district.
Council also agreed to install speed humps on Hays Road, as well as center lines and rumble strips where the road curves after surveying residents of the 20 or so homes that border the busy thoroughfare. Around 1,600 vehicles travel the road daily, using it as a shortcut from Washington Road to McMurray Road, and many of the drivers are going much faster than the posted 25 mph speed limit.
“I think speed humps along with rumble strips should handle it,” said Michael Silvestri, township manager. “It’s a narrow road.”