McCandless Council eyes proposed 2023 budget of nearly $27 million

Property taxes in McCandless will hold steady under a proposed 2023 budget of nearly $27 million.

“We will not be raising millage in 2023, which seems to be the answer everyone wants to hear first off and foremost,” said Trisha Greathouse, assistant town manager and finance director.

McCandless residents can attend a budget review scheduled for Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m., at town hall on Grubbs Road.

2023 would be the 18th consecutive year that real estate taxes would remain the same, Greathouse said. McCandless is able to keep property tax steady due mostly to earned income taxes that residents pay, which makes up 37 percent of revenues, said Greathouse, who presented the budget proposal at a meeting Oct. 24.

Next year’s proposed budget contains a slight increase from the 2022 budget of approximately $24 million.

Greathouse attributes the majority of the growth to a $2.5 million increase in the Capital Improvement Program Fund Budget for improvements to roads, stormwater pollution reduction plans, traffic signal and camera upgrades, park improvements, sidewalks and town hall improvements as prioritized by the town council, she said.

These projects are paid for through a combination of general fund reserves, as well as state grants and allocations and revenue dedicated to capital improvement.

The Nov. 14 meeting will review public works and the public safety programs, the latter including police, fire, and ambulance services. The meeting will also review the proposed Capital Improvement Plan for 2023, Greathouse said.

The biggest portion of general fund expenditures falls under public safety at 47 percent, followed by public works at 23 percent.

The council on Oct. 24 did approve the Northland Public Library budget. This year’s library request is $664,350, a $22,445 increase from 2022. Amy Steele, executive director for the library, said the library is planning several necessary improvement projects, and it is working on finding grants to pay for them.

Overall, the McCandless continues to keep a healthy financial reserve, figures show. The proposed 2023 budget is set to use $1.4 million from the 2022 fund balance. Greathouse projects a financial reserve $12 million at the end of 2023.

McCandless has a policy to maintain two to three months worth of revenue, she said.

The township will be renegotiating new contracts for police and public works that would take effect in 2023 and has reflected anticipated increases in the 2023 budget proposal.

McCandless continues to experience supply chain delays for large equipment and vehicle purchases as well as inflationary pricing for many supplies.

“The Town continues to take a conservative approach to forecasting revenues given the current state and national economic climate. The impacts of recent interest rate hikes and inflation were well-thought-out when projecting 2023 revenues,” Greathouse said.

The town’s finance department started the budgeting process in July by meeting with each department head, Greathouse said.

President Michael Tarle said the departments give a kind of “wish list” of funding needs.

Officials also met with each council member to review needs and requests.

“It was the most extensive budget process that we’ve done in the four years that I’ve done for McCandless,” Greathouse said.

This is due, in part, to requesting additional information from the library, local fire departments, and McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage Center.

Greathouse said changes to the proposed budget can be made throughout the budget process.

There will be a public hearing about the budget on Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the town hall. Town council is scheduled to vote to approve the budget on Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. This will be followed by salary reviews in executive session.

The budget can be reviewed online at www.townofmccandless.org.