Budget holds the line on taxes

The township’s property tax rate remains at 8.75 mills.

“Same as it’s been for the last seven years, no increase,” Hilltown Township Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack McIlhinney said.

Along with not increasing the tax rate, the township continues to balance the budget without taking on debt, board members said.

With $6.8 million of income and $6.6 million of expenses, the 2018 general fund budget includes $167,200 for administration; $114,288 for financial administration; $90,320 for buildings and grounds; $3,593,333 for police services; $143,060 for fire protection; $336,073 for planning and zoning; $1,239,181 for public works; $170,000 for maintenance and repair to highways; and $83,871 for conservation and natural resources.

Each mill equals $1 of taxes per $1,000 of assessed property value. At 8.75 mills, the tax bill for a home assessed at $30,000 equals $262.50.

The 8.75 mills consists of 7.3 mills for the general fund, 0.75 mills for the fire tax, 0.2 mills for park and recreation and 0.5 mills for the purchase of road equipment, according to information on the township’s website.

Final approval for the budget was given at the board’s Nov. 13 meeting.

At the board’s Dec. 11 meeting:

• A resolution prohibiting mini casinos was approved.

The state is allowing an additional 10 mini casinos to be built, Stephen Harris, Hilltown’s solicitor, said.

“They’re small casinos. They can have up to 750 slot machines and 40 table games,” he said.

Municipalities were given until the end of the year to notify the state if the municipality wanted to prohibit the mini casinos in their town. Along with Hilltown, other Pennridge area municipalities that have done so include Perkasie, East Rockhill, West Rockhill and Bedminster.

The towns still can in the future pass another resolution allowing the mini casinos, Harris said.

• Meeting for the last time this year, board members thanked the township officials and staff.

“Everyone has done a fantastic job and I’m very appreciative,” board member Ken Bennington said.

“We’ve had a good year and got a lot of stuff done,” board member Jim Groff said.