No Upper Pottsgrove Tax Hike for 6th Straight Year

The Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners Monday voted 3-1 to advertise a $3.1 million budget that does not raise taxes for what is, by my rough count, the sixth straight year.

Also, the quarterly sewer bill of $215 will not increase in 2015 for those who use the township's sewer system.

There was potential for a tax hike due to requests from the Upper Pottsgrove Fire Company, which included increased costs due to workman's compensation insurance and new radios.

The potential millge increase to meet those costs -- from .375 mills to .61 mills -- would have represented a 62.7 percent increase in the fire tax.

But while that might sound like a lot, it would have worked out to about $30 per house for the median assessment in town of $128,390, said financial adviser Matt Dallas.

Instead, the board decided to use $50,000 in had in reserve to cover those costs, and thus avoid a tax increase.

The new county-required radios will cost about $100,000, but the fire company intends to buy them over-time through a county-sponsored no-interest payment plan, according to Fire Company President Keith Kachel.

As a result, the budget that will be advertised keeps the millage at 3.775 mills for the general fund and fire fund combined.

The $3.1 million sewer budget for 2015 is supported only by those who use it and, as mentioned before, the $215 quarterly bill remains the same as for 2014.

Here are the Tweets from last night's meeting.