Canonsburg approves budget with tax increase
CANONSBURG – Canonsburg Council unanimously passed a budget Monday that effectively raises taxes 10 percent for borough property owners.
The borough’s roughly $5.1 million budget for 2017 is the first following the Washington County reassessment. Like local governments throughout the county, Canonsburg must now use 100 percent of July 1, 2015, assessed values rather than the previous 25 percent of 1981 values for budget purposes.
State law allows local governments to collect up to 10 percent in additional revenue during a reassessment year.
Borough property taxes will be 3.84 mills next year, with 2.93 mills going to the general fund. That total also includes .2 mills for road improvements, .29 mills for fire service, .32 mills for debt and .1 mills for parks and recreation.
Officials projected the borough would collect the same amount in taxes next year with 3.49 mills.
The additional .35 mills means property owners pay an additional $35 for every $100,000 in assessed value.
Using the new assessed values contains an element of uncertainty because property owners can appeal the new numbers in Washington County Court.
“You don’t know what you’re giving back,” said borough manager Denise Lesnock told council members. The borough must refund excess taxes paid to property owners who are successful in having their assessment lowered.
The borough budgeted $30,000 in refunds to property owners who successfully appeal, though Lesnock previously said that amount may not cover all costs of those reimbursements.