Franklin officials OK final spending plan
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
WAYNESBURG – Franklin Township supervisors adopted a 2013 budget Monday that again holds the line on property taxes.
The budget includes a general fund of $1,406,713, which is about $11,000 greater than the current year’s budget.
The township levies a 1.28 mill property tax. Of that, 0.75 of a mill is earmarked for the general fund, 0.17 of a mill for machinery and 0.36 of a mill for fire protection.
The township has not raised taxes since about 1987, when it adopted a tax for fire protection following a ballot referendum.
The budget had been advertised as being available for review, but no one came into the municipal office to inspect it, said Carol Kraft, township secretary.
The supervisors were able to hold the line on taxes despite a decrease in the township’s assessed value.
The township’s 2013 total assessed value declined 3.8 percent this year; however, the new valuation is still higher than the valuation for 2011 because of a large increase in value last year.
Last year, the township’s assessed value increased by about 9 percent, primarily because of an increase in coal valuations; this year, it declined 3.8 percent for the same reason.
One mill in the township is expected to generate $311,313. This year, because of the higher valuation, a mill brought in $329,589.
On the revenue side, the budget projects an increase in earned income tax collections. Kraft earlier explained the township had budgeted $650,000 in collections for this year but ended up receiving more than $1 million.
The supervisors also have decided to keep the local service tax at $10. The tax is collected from each person who works in the township. The township could levy a tax of as much as $52.
The township this year also has received new revenue in the form of $40,306 for a natural gas lease on the old township dump property and $474,601 in Act 13 Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling impact fees.
The supervisors have not yet determined how the Act 13 money will be spent.
Expenditures will remain fairly in line with the current year though health care costs are expected to increase 9.5 percent. The budget also includes $50,000 to update the township’s comprehensive plan and $5,000 for the Greene County Humane Society.