After a month of budget hearings and discussions, commissioners formulated a list of amendments in the form of additions and subtractions to the 2013 Manager’s Recommended Budget. The final public hearing on the budget will be 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 11 in commission chambers. The budget vote will immediately follow.
Here are some highlights:
Changes to revenue include:
* Reduce real estate tax to meet the windfall cap (required under law during a reassessment year) — $60,000 decrease. The exact certified values of real estate within municipal borders for the 2013 tax year are not known as a result of the ongoing reassessment of properties in Allegheny County. The millage rate is currently 5.43 mills but this rate will be reduced by the commission after receipt of the final 2013 values.
* Addition of revenues from alternate sources, such as the Veteran’s Memorial fund and the Plein Air event — $21,360 increase
* Revenue from tennis court lighting: $6,000
Changes to expenditures include:
* Reduction in anticipated cost of health insurance: $53,700 decrease
* Fee for participation in the new regional earned income tax collection district: $4,790
* Increase in assessment from Medical Rescue Team South Authority: $16,210
* Addition of a development consultant to procure grants and outside funding: $35,000
* Reduction in cost of new management assistant position by waiting until April to fill: $22,000 decrease
* Purchase of artwork from the Plein Air festival to place in the Municipal Building: $1,000 (funded by contributions, as noted above); additional pole decorations for Beverly Road: $3,770 (with 50 percent funding by contributions).
* Add irrigation system to Veteran’s Memorial: $18,480 (funded by contributions)
* Debt service reduction: $62,030 decrease
* Add deer survey: $12,000
* Add streaming and indexing of public meetings: $13,100
* Increase to Outreach Teen & Family Services subsidy: $1,000
* Hire consultant to appeal under-assessed properties: $25,000
* Reduce swimming pool maintenance since pool items are covered in recent bond issue: $7,500 reduction.
The budget amendments also include a shifting of a position in the finance office to cover collections.
There are still several unknowns in the budget. The municipality is waiting to hear a final total for payment to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority. Additionally, the commission will need to approve any budget carryovers for any items that were budgeted for 2012 but not yet completed.
To read our original story about the budget and see what else it includes, click here. [1]