Board Approves 2023 Budget
The Board of Supervisors adopted the 2023 budget at its meeting on Dec. 1, 2022. The budget includes a tax increase in the General Fund of 0.3118 mills for general operating expenses and an increase in the Fire/Emergency Services Fund of 0.06 mills.
The combine increase of .3718 mills raises the Township’s overall real estate tax millage to 2.9593 mills. It means that the average taxpayer will see an average annual tax increase of $62.80 or $5 per month in the portion allocated to the Township.
It is important to note that of a homeowner’s total real estate tax bill, just 7 percent comes to the Township to fund all of the services provided; 82 percent goes to Methacton School District and 11 percent goes to Montgomery County / Montgomery County Community College.
The millage increase will generate $600,500 to address the Township’s continuing structural deficit and will allow for improvements in the level of staffing and services provided to the community. The remaining deficit in the 2023 budget of approximately $450,000 will be made up with funds from the General Fund Reserves.
The supervisors noted that the decision on the final budget was not made lightly and that the Board and staff have been working on the budget since July, including some 10 hours of public workshops. They cited much-needed investments in personnel, services and equipment that were able to be addressed with the budget. The Board acknowledged the concern that operating costs continue to outpace revenue generation.
In addition to crafting the 2023 budget, the Board has been actively engaged in long-range planning. The Township has a healthy fund balance as a result of years of conservative budgeting, fiscal restraint and maintenance of minimum staffing levels. Formulating a strategy for meaningful allocation of these fund has been part of that planning effort. Plans include maintaining unassigned “rainy day” funds in addition to allocations to a newly-created municipal complex fund and to existing underfunded capital projects and stormwater funds.
The Board’s discussions have also included planning for the approximately $2.8 million federal funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Approximately $1.3 million of those funds has been obligated through the 2023 budget. Preliminary plans for the remainder include reserves for grant matching, stormwater/drainage improvement projects and a yet-to-be determined community project. Plans will be finalized throughout 2023 and community input will be sought.