No tax increase in Bradford Woods budget

The proposed 2025 budget for Bradford Woods projects $1.531 million in expenditures for the next year, with no tax increase.

Council is set to vote on the budget at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 meeting at the municipal building, 4908 Wexford Run Road.

The real estate tax rate remains at 3.375, the fifth-lowest of Allegheny County’s 80 boroughs, according to the budget document. Police and public works take a bulk of the budget, said Rusti Null, Bradford Woods manager.

“Public safety and road improvements are always the borough’s largest expenses,” Null said.

Stormwater projects will continue to be a priority.

“In 2025, Bradford Woods will complete three grant-funded stormwater projects that will bring our municipality into compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requirements to reduce stormwater pollutants in the waterways of the commonwealth,” Null said. ”One of these projects includes restoring the pond in the Village of Bradford Woods, which is in the Brush Creek watershed. The other two projects involve the installation of rain gardens in the Pine Creek watershed, one on Bradford Road and one on Lincoln Road.”

The borough received $466,000 in grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development in 2024. Bradford Woods applied for grant funding for additional stormwater projects that will be undertaken only if the grant funds are awarded. The grant determination is scheduled for January, Null said.

Other projects include adding a paved pedestrian lane on the east end of Bradford Road to improve pedestrian safety.

The projected revenue in next year’s budget, just under $1.1 million, represents a decrease of 3% compared with the 2024 budget estimate. The latter reflects $466,000 state grants.

Public safety makes up 45% of the budget, with $275,183 going to the Northern Regional Police Department, an of about $32,000 compared with expenses projected for 2024. Funding for the Bradford Woods Volunteer Fire Company is at $34,456 and there’s a $5,000 contribution toward the McCandless Franklin Park Ambulance Authority, which has remained the same since last year.

“Our NRPD budget did not have that big of an increase over 2024. Our biggest expenses are typically payroll and vehicles,” said NRPD Chief Bryan DeWick.

Bradford Woods will contribute $24,879 toward Northland Public Library. That’s a slight decrease compared with approximately $29,000 contributions annually since 2023.