Tax hike included in 2018 budget

AMITY » All township residents will begin in 2018 to help the township pay down the $800,000 debt on Amity Community Park off Weavertown Road.

The township supervisors approved the township’s general fund budget of $4,658,168, with a millage rate increase from 2.45 mills to 2.6 mills.

Township Manager Troy Bingaman said the 2.6 mills includes 1.8 mills for the general budget, .65 mills for the fire companies and fire hydrants, and the new .15 mills recreation tax.

Property owners will pay an additional $15 (for every $100,000 of assessed property value).

Bingaman and Business Manager Tracy Nonamaker said the new .15 recreation millage will generate $106,000 per year and pay the township’s annual $104,000 park debt amount.

Nonamaker said the recreation millage can be repealed in 2028 — after the debt has been settled in 2027.

The original bond amount was $1.8 million.

Amity Community Park was built about 12 years ago on 44.6 acres of former farmland.

Supervisors have said that a re-

duced number of developers in the township has reduced the amount of recreation fees received by the township to pay the debt on the park.

The board also approved to increase the quarterly public sewer bill amount from $100 to $110, effective in 2018.

“No one likes to see a tax increase, but we have yearly increases to operating expenses,” said Supervisor Terry L. Jones, adding, “either we build more houses (which add additional taxes), or have small, incremental tax increases.”