Nov 16, 2022 3 min read

Canonsburg Borough, faced with a nearly $45,000 budget deficit going into the new year, may be looking at raising taxes, borough manager Denise Lesnock announced at Monday’s council meeting.

The $44,900 deficit, she said, is the result of an accounting error discovered this week.

“I don’t want to throw anybody under the bus,” said Lesnock, noting the borough prepared its assessed values early, to get a jump start on next year’s budget.

Last month, borough council presented a version of the budget that did not include a deficit to residents during a budget workshop. Council borrowed money for 2023 projects based on those earlier numbers.

Lesnock said Canonsburg has enough capital to cover the deficit, but will now contend with increasing taxes.

“Every mill is about $12 to $15 per household,” Lesnock explained. “It’s not tremendous. But council this year really wanted to hold back on tax increases because of the state of the economy. We don’t want to (increase taxes), but I can only squeeze so much from a block.”

A second budget meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday inside council chambers. The meeting is open to the public.

Also Monday, council voted to take the next step toward using goats to control vegetation along Chartiers Creek banks. Borough leaders will meet with representatives from the Pittsburgh company Goatscape next week to survey the creek.

Goatscape will then submit a bid to council, and council will vote as early as next month to hire the company.

“You really don’t want to spray it and put all those chemicals in the area. People can’t get down over the hill because of the rocks. But goats can climb that,” said council member John Severine.

The city of Pittsburgh has employed goats to clear banks along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, and an assist from the animals is becoming increasingly popular throughout the U.S.

Council President Eric Chandler said the borough will weigh the pros and cons of using Goatscape to bring Chartiers Creek banks up to code, adding he has friends who keep goats to clear vegetation on their farm.

“It’s a natural way of doing that,” Chandler said.

The borough also voted Monday to establish free 15-minute parking spots near Chicco Baccello and along North Central Avenue, near the Colaizzo building, for Uber Eats and Door Dash drivers.

The free spaces will be subject to a 90-day trial period, at which time borough council will vote to make those spaces permanent temporary parking.