Sewickley Heights officials hold the line on real estate taxes for next year
Sewickley Heights property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes next year.
Council unanimously voted Dec. 18 to pass its 2024 budget and maintain the tax rate at 5.5 mills.
Projected revenues and expenditures were listed at about $2.89 million.
Expected income includes about $1.59 million in real estate taxes, just under $790,000 in local enabling taxes, close to $310,000 in local/state shared revenues, about $108,000 in departmental earnings, $66,000 in interest/rents/royalties and $29,400 in licenses/permits/fines.
Projected spending includes about $1.06 million for public safety; $995,000 for general government, including salaries, benefits and supplies; $684,000 for public works; $105,000 in miscellaneous expenses; and $44,600 for operating transfers.
Borough Manager Nathan Briggs said it can be a challenge to maintain services and programs while costs continue to rise.
“We constantly monitor internal spending and finding the right vendors for the right services,” he said. “We just stay tight. We try to be very good stewards of the public’s money and don’t spend where we don’t need to. We’ve been doing it for years, and it pays off.”
Council President John Means and other council members deferred budget questions to the manager.
Briggs said one of the major projects next year is the driveway and parking lot reconstruction at the public works facility.
The borough received a $190,000 Gaming Economic and Tourism Fund grant through the state Department of Community and Economic Development to help cover construction costs.
The borough also budgeted for a new police car.
Sewickley Heights does not provide garbage collection. Residents privately contract trash services.
Briggs said a tax anticipation note, a loan some municipalities and school districts take out to pay bills until tax money starts rolling in March, was not necessary to balance the budget.
Council meeting dates will remain the third Monday of the month at 4:30 p.m. at the borough hall, 238 Country Club Road.
Michael DiVittorio is a TribLive reporter covering general news in Western Pennsylvania, with a penchant for festivals and food. He can be reached at mdivittorio@triblive.com.
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