Leetsdale officials hold the line on real estate taxes for next year

Leetsdale property owners will not have to pay more in borough real estate taxes.

Council voted 6-1 to adopt its 2024 budget on Dec. 14.

Councilman Roger Nanni dissented. He said he wanted more time to review the spending plan and look for ways to reduce taxes.

The tax rate remains at 9 mills. Of that, 8 mills is planned for general purposes and 1 mill for road reconstruction and infrastructure.

Projected revenues and expenses were listed at about $2.666 million.

Proposed income includes about $1,141 million in real estate taxes; $978,000 in local enabling taxes, including earned income and business privilege taxes; $181,900 in state shared revenues and entitlements; $40,450 in business licenses and permits; $32,000 in fines and forfeits; and $12,800 in charges for services.

Proposed spending includes $736,000 for police; $494,000 for roads and streets; $170,000 for general government, including council and mayor compensation, insurances and auditing services; $156,000 for the borough office, including administrative salaries, computer support and supplies; $116,200 for engineering; $88,000 for fire protection; $68,100 for recreation; $60,500 for tax collection; and $38,750 for legal services.

About $15,000 is earmarked for civil celebrations, which include Fourth of July and Memorial Day events, senior citizen dinners and community gatherings at Henle Park.

Jeffrey Weatherby, councilman and finance committee chair, said the key to maintaining services and programs without raising taxes is “being prudent and watch your spending.”

He encouraged residents to hold their elected officials accountable for how they spend tax dollars.

Council president Maria Napolitano said the borough was able to negotiate better health insurance rates for its employees by switching from United Healthcare to Highmark, saving about $14,000.

She also mentioned tens of thousands of dollars were saved using volunteers to help craft the borough’s comprehensive plan and updates to the subdivision and land development ordinance.

SALDO updates were done in consultation with borough engineer Daniel Slagle and solicitor Daniel Conlon.

Council vice president Osman Awad said he hopes to increase the borough’s homestead and farmstead exclusion, a tax break, from $45,000 to $50,000.

“I’m looking at it,” Awad said. “If your house is worth $100,000, we say take $50,000 off so you’re only paying taxes on $50,000.”

In the meantime, he is pleased borough secretary/treasurer Jennifer Simek was able to craft a spending plan without a tax increase.

“She does her job and she’s helpful when you ask her for something,” Awad said. “Everybody that works for the borough (makes) a very good team.”

Simek declined to comment on the budget.

In other business

Leetsdale will not be joining Leet in its efforts to slow down motorists along Beech Street.

Borough council declined to buy a speed table, described as a modified speed bump, for $2,500.

It would have been part of a deal with the township to have two speed tables on the road that goes through both communities.

Leetsdale Police Chief Daniel Raible said there are only a handful of borough residents that live along the street, and no one has complained about speeding.

Council members eventually agreed the purchase was not necessary.

Leet commissioners approved their purchase of a portable speed table from Pleasant Hills in November.

It is about 6 to 8 inches higher than the street and stretches about 10 feet.

Leet Police Chief Brian Jameson said people use the road as a shortcut coming from Ambridge to avoid other traffic control devices.

Beech Street stretches from Beaver Road in Leetsdale to Orchard Street in Leet, which has a blind curve near the township/borough border.

The speed limit is 15 mph.

Leet’s speed table will be installed close to the bend and near an entrance to a manufacturing company.

Slagle announced $14,000 from an estimated $29,400 grant through the Quaker Valley Council of Governments and the Allegheny County Department of Development for an Americans with Disabilities Act parking project at the borough building will be used to add a parking space at Henle Park near the Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

The change came after officials reexamined the ADA space in the lower borough building parking lot. The new space at the main entrance is still part of the project.

Slagle hopes to send the project out for bid in February.