Radnor makes cuts, still eyes 6 percent tax hike in 2020 budget
RADNOR >> Township taxpayers will face a 6 percent rather than a 9 percent tax increase after township officials went over the budget and found more wiggle room.
The Board of Commissioners approved the $34.3 million final 2020 budget introduction 5-0, with Commissioners Richard Booker and Jake Abel absent. It is expected to be adopted at the Dec. 9 meeting.
At its Nov. 19 meeting the board appeared poised to impose a separate .377-mill tax increase to fund the fire companies and ambulance service.
However, township Manager Robert Zienkowski, said although the focus had been on funding the fire company in the last few meetings some commissioners had raised concerns that funding the fire (separately) would end up “tying future board’s hands,” he said. Instead, Zienkowski suggested that the millage rate be increased just enough to meet the township’s cash reserve policy of 25 percent.
However, William White, the finance director, warned that the budget will be tight. White said the latest version will no longer separate that amount out but includes a .25 mill tax increase, bringing the total millage to 4.4082 mills.
That will mean a homeowner at the median assessment of $260,000 would pay an additional $65 in real estate taxes to the township for 2020. The sewer fee will also increase by 10 percent.
During previous budget meetings, White explained that the business taxes were less than expected so far for
2019. Meanwhile, requests from the police superintendent and the public works department for more employees are no longer on the table. However, funding for all the community organizations such as the Wayne Senior Center and the Radnor Memorial Library, is included, along with $38,500 for a consultant requested by the green team committee for the Ready for 100 initiative. The additional
$250,000 requested by the Radnor Fire Company to hire more firefighters/EMS personnel is also in the budget.
Previously, Eamon C. Brazunas, Radnor Fire Company executive director, said that the fire company needs to hire additional paid staff because fewer people are volunteering, a statewide problem.
Leslie Morgan, a resident, again spoke against raising real estate taxes.
“A lot of people that read the paper would know
there is an impending tax increase,” she said, noting that the BOC had increased taxes last year for
2019. Saying that she has studied this, Morgan said, “Townships in wealthy areas to not necessarily need to raise taxes if they need to live within their means. I believe that Radnor Township has been governed in a way that crowds out private participation to a large degree.” There have not been large donations given to the township, “except for a surprise
$250,000 from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Medicine) for a park that doesn’t even have parking,” she said. “So it’s very lightly used… I don’t think you need this tax increase. You don’t even have to make hard decisions. You have to make some decisions and you have to come up with your own ideas.”
Earlier in the meeting, the BOC approved stormwater waivers. She suggested the ordinances be changed so that fees would be charged to those property owners. She also brought up the effect of the countywide reassessment and told the BOC to “fight for every dollar.”
Commissioner John Nagle told Morgan that her contentions regarding stormwater and reassessment were incorrect.
After the meeting White said that reassessment would be revenue neutral for the township but residents’ homes might be assessed higher or lower than their current valuation. The township would be restricted from raising taxes by more than 10 percent immediately after the reassessment, he said.
In other business, the BOC presented a proclamation to Help Hope Live, a charity that helps people and families with uncovered medical bills. Board President Lisa Borowski reminded people to give to charities on Giving Tuesday, which is Dec. 3 this year.