South Fayette budget adopted with no tax increase, EMS funding approved

South Fayette Township property owners will not have to worry about a real estate tax hike as part of next year’s municipal budget.

Commissioners unanimously adopted their 2021 spending plan Wednesday.

It maintains the millage rate at 4.73 mills, the same as the past few years.

Projected revenue and expenditures were at about $13 million.

Revenue includes $7.3 million in property taxes, $4.52 million in Act 511 taxes such as earned income and mechanical devices, $365,700 in licenses and $444,000 in state shared revenue.

Expenses include $430,000 for administration salaries, $130,000 for tax collection, $75,000 for legal services, $131,500 for information technology, $438,860 for engineering, $3.97 million for police, about $560,000 for fire protection and $141,000 for parks and recreation.

Manager John Barrett said officials did financial planning during the pandemic pretty close to the chest.

“We were conservative with our budgeting this year,” he said via email. “We agreed to set our 2021 revenues for real estate tax and earned income tax at our projected (year end) 2020 levels. We have been fortunate to have not seen a significant reduction in revenues due to covid. We have also seen a good amount of new homes and commercial buildings in the last two years, so our revenues have grown by virtue of development.”

Commissioners also budgeted $1.5 million for road improvements, and were able to find some funding for assistance requests from SouthBridge EMS and the township library.

The ambulance company hoped to get $47,000 from South Fayette.

EMS executive director Daniel Miller said earlier this year that it was the first financial request the company made to the township. SouthBridge was established in 1971.

Barrett said the EMS assistance, as well as a $22,000 boost in library contributions to $165,000, are in the spending plan.

“I am confident the budget can support the additional requests,” he said.

Commission President Gwen Rodi lauded the EMS company and was glad her colleagues unanimously agreed to support it.

“SouthBridge EMS provides an invaluable service to our residents and it is important we support them,” Rodi said.

The president also highlighted other projects within the budget, including new playgrounds at Fairview and Boys Home parks, improvements to Moran Park, construction of a new township municipal complex with completion slated for 2022.

Rodi said equipment and vehicle replacements for public works, and updated tactical gear and license reader cameras for the police department are part of next year’s plans as well.

Commissioner Rebecca Sray said Barrett was instrumental in crafting a budget that funds all necessary services, as well as improves township operations and helps first responders.

“It’s good management,” Sray said. “We look at what we need. We don’t want to go beyond our means. I think it’s the part of a good manager to be able to balance the budget.”

Sray noted commissioners still need to finalize plans for their new township building before any construction could begin.

“There is a lot of planning that goes along with this,” Sray said. “We haven’t come to a decision yet on what we want it to look like.”

The budget is available for review here.