PETERSBURG — Upper Township Committee introduced its budget March 28, calling for a 3.3-cent increase, or 15 percent, in the municipal tax rate to 25.2 cents per $100 of assessed value.
If adopted as introduced, the owner of an average-assessed home of $285,162 would see an increase of $93.50, in addition to any increase in the school or county tax rates. The $15,426,508 spending plan is down slightly from 2021 and includes a tax levy of $4,764,872, up $655,939.
CFO Barbara Ludy said salaries and debt service are the two major factors driving the tax increase. The financial administration budget is up $121,000 to $354,500, EMS salaries are up $70,000 to $809,500, tax collection salaries are up $34,000 to $161,000 and zoning/code enforcement salaries nearly doubled to $29,500.
The township increased its debt service, boosting bond principal payments by $80,000 to $640,000 and adding $350,000 for bond anticipation and capital note payments. Ludy said the township received less in grant funding this year, contributing to the lower overall budget.
Mayor Curtis Corson said prices for everything from gasoline to equipment have increased, driving up expenses across the board. Corson said other areas of increase are medical and liability insurance and employee salaries and wages.
“A lot of it is out of our control,” he said.
Township Committee had discussed hiring five employees to bring staffing back to where it was a couple of years ago but Corson said they instead hired just two workers who will replace two retirees.
Ludy said other hires budgeted include two part-time employees for Public Works and a deputy township administrator.
“We accepted the challenge and we will try to make every effort we can to try to keep costs down and continue to provide the level of services residents expect,” Corson said. “We have a great group of people and some good ideas and we’re going to try to get some things initiated.”
The budget will use $1.65 million in surplus funds, leaving $146,345 in reserve.
On the plus side, the township will receive more than $6 million in energy receipts taxes for hosting the now-defunct B.L. England generating plant.
Employee group health benefits dropped $622,640 to $2,089,900.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff