No tax hike for proposed 2018 budget
Final budget vote slated for December
“So far, year to date, we’ve had a phenomenal, a very good year, financially.” — Township Manager Jon Hammer
FRANCONIA » The tax rate stays the same for the proposed 2018 budget.
“So far, year to date, we’ve had a phenomenal, a very good year, financially,” Township Manager Jon Hammer said while giving an overview of the proposed budget at the Nov. 20 Franconia Township Board of Supervisors work session.
“I think we’re going to wind up this year, 2017, in a very good place from a financial perspective,” he said.
“I see no reason why that won’t continue into 2018. In the preparation of the 2018 budget, what we continue to do is look at ways that we can enhance services and make things better for our residents,” Hammer said. “That’s really why we’re here. That’s what we’re here to do. That’s our focus to make sure that our residents are taken care of and that we’re continuing to provide first-rate services for our residents.”
With $5,292,581.64 of revenues and $5,178,935.24 of expenses, the proposed general fund budget shows a $113,646.40 surplus.
General fund income includes $1,175,000 from property taxes; $290,000 from real estate transfer taxes; $2,112,500 from earned income taxes; $382,500 from the local services tax paid by people who work in the municipality; and $260,000 from the cable television franchise fee. Budgeted expenses include $407,243.69 for administration salaries; $111,000 for legal services; $109,300.39 for general government administration; $77,500 for engineering services; $98,200 for building maintenance; $2,000,854.78 for public safety, $1,035,419.18 of which is for police salaries; $158,392.10 for police administration; $1,029,525.09 for public works, $601.174.63 of which is for public works salaries; $158,942.88 for public works administration; and $258,598 for debt service.
The budget also includes putting $50,000 into the capital reserve fund. During discussion at the Nov. 20 work session, board Chairman Grey Godshall said he would like to see the township allocate money each year to replace aging playground equipment. The rest of the board agreed. The amount to be allocated was not set at the meeting, but Hammer said the money will come
from the capital reserves fund.
With no tax increase, Franconia’s property tax rate would remain at 1.924 mills, equal to $319.38 on a home assessed at $166,000. Each mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value. The 1.924 mills includes 1.444 mills for the general fund, 0.15 mills for the fire tax and 0.33 mills for the library tax.
Copies of the proposed budget are available on the township website or at the township office. The final budget vote will be at the board’s 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18 meeting.
The Nov. 20 township meeting also included recognition of the Oct. 26 death of Gerald Thiel, who was a regular at township meetings and frequently spoke during the public comment period, along with having served on township committees. He was 81.
“We’d just like to acknowledge his passing, say how sorry we are to see him go,” Godshall said.
“We had to agree to disagree on more than one occasion, but his heart was absolutely always in the right place,” Godshall said. “He was a gentleman through and through.”