Dec 9, 2013 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Franklin Township supervisors adopted a 2014 budget Monday that includes an increase in spending but holds the line on taxes.

The budget lists spending at $1,540,886, which is about $89,000 greater than the current 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 budget is fairly similar to last year’s budget, and is unchanged from the preliminary budget approved last month.

The increase in spending next year is primarily attributed to spending on roads, township secretary Carol Kraft said. This includes money that will be paid by companies whose trucks have used township roads and who, under heavy hauling agreements, are required to repair any damage.

Road maintenance and road supplies are the largest expenditure in the budget and totals $1,081,581. Others areas of major expenditures include $201,000 for medical insurance, which is expected to increase about 2 percent from this year; $155,000 for engineering for roads and for updating the township’s comprehensive plan; $153,870 for administrative and office expenses; $91,200 for fire protection; and $50,000 for machinery.

On the revenue side, the budget lists $800,000 from earned income taxes, $365,000 from property taxes, $236,509 in liquid fuels funds, $60,000 from real estate transfer taxes, $50,000 from the local service tax, $50,000 from building permits and fees and $43,000 from the street light assessments.

The township also expects to receive about $350,000 in Act 13 natural gas impact fee revenue, all of which will be used for roads.

One mill in the township is expected to generate $310,386, which is down slightly from this year because of a decrease in township’s total taxable value. The drop in taxable value resulted from a decrease in coal value.

The township has not raised taxes since 1987, when it adopted a tax for fire protection following a ballot referendum. The supervisors also have decided again next year to keep the local service tax at $10. The tax is collected from each person who works in the township and, by law, can be as much as $52.

In other business, the supervisors opened bids to demolish a house at 2646 Smith Creek Road that was condemned by the township because of its poor condition.

The supervisors received five bids and awarded the contract to the low bidder, Thunder Valley Excavating Inc. of Grindstone. Thunder Valley’s bid was for $12,000.

The house is owned by Kim Moler, who has been attempting to sell it. Township solicitor Kim Pratt said Moler had sent a facsimile of what appeared to be a deed of sale to her office during the weekend; however, the document was not notarized or filed with the recorder of deeds office. Pratt said she had informed Moler of the deficiencies and recommended to the supervisors that they proceed with the demolition.