No tax increase planned in West View

There is no tax increase planned for West View residents next year, as commissioners prepare to vote on the 2023 proposed budget, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. at their Council Chambers at 441 Perry Highway.

The tax rate is proposed to remain the same at 6.30 mills. The last time taxes were raised was in 2020 by only .9 percent, according to borough manager and Chief of Police Bruce Fromlak. The budget is balanced at $5,973,884.

“We aren’t anticipating any increases in taxes this year,” Fromlak said.

West View residents pay additional tax rates of 18.65 for the North Hills School District and 4.73 to Allegheny County, according to Fromlak.

Much of the budget is similar to previous years, he said. The highest expenditures planned for the proposed budget go toward the police category at more than $1.53 million.

The borough, which has 10 full-time and two part-time officers, lists a proposed salary expenditure for patrol officers at $739,000 for 2023; $329,000 for lieutenant and sergeants salaries; and $136,000 for the combined position of chief of police and town manager, and a secretary.

Fromlak said there is a minimum of two officers on a shift at all times.

Also in the police category, West View has proposed a $30,000 designation toward the payment and leasing of two police vehicles. It’s split in half with $15,000 going toward an order that never came through last year and one for a new lease this year. Fromlak said the borough’s police vehicles are on a three-year lease, rotating a new car lease every two years, and then taking the third year off. This means in 2024, West View will not be leasing a new car.

The department has four police cars for his officers on duty, and one police motorcycle, he said.

Other items in the borough budget include a proposed $172,000 toward fire services. Included in this category is $60,000, half of which will go toward payment of a ladder truck currently owned by the fire department in West View, and the other half for a new pumper next year.

There are three volunteer fire stations in the borough, Fromlak said.

All employees at the borough are currently contractually to receive a 3 percent raise every year. The next negotiations on the contract are in 2023 for initiation in 2024, Fromlak said.

The street resurfacing program is similar to earlier years at a proposed cost of $225,000. Several streets are up for paving this year including Center Avenue between Oakwood and Brightwood avenues; one lane of center avenue from Columbia to Bronx; and three other alleys.

“We’re actually in pretty good shape with paving,” he said.

Fromlak noted that a grant may be coming for the West View district streetscape project that’s being done along the Perry Highway corridor. It’s not reflected in the proposed budget as they’re still waiting on confirmation.

The borough is performing a business district streetscape revitalization to update the look and feel of the district. The last time that the business district along the main street of West View was upgraded was in 1980 and it is “tired looking,” Fromlak said.

Fromlak said West View applied for an $800,000 grant through the multimodal transportation fund of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

He hopes they’ll have grant news by the beginning of 2023.

Work along the business corridor of Perry Highway has been ongoing for the past couple of years, including curb replacements and installing decorative street lights.

“We believe, along with the architects, is if we are fortunate to receive funding, we will not only be able to replace the remaining damaged curbs but will replace the trees, park benches, trash cans and sidewalks and bring the charm of a small town back to the residents and those who work or visit West View Borough,” Fromlak said.

All of the decorative lighting has been completed as of a few weeks ago.

The grant will help with continue the streetscape project.

“Our goal is to obtain additional funding in order to complete the business district rehabilitation going not only this year, but in the future as well,” Fromlak said.

The architect for the project is Herbert, Rowland and Grubic. Fromlak said the borough is paying for and doing the project in phases depending on the availability of grant funding.

“Historically, projects such as these can take a few years to complete as communities such as ours rely heavily on grant monies and those monies come in as they become available from the state,” he said.

Fromlak acknowledged the efforts of both Sen. Lyndsey Williams and Rep. Emily Kinkead who were “most helpful in supporting projects like ours and we appreciate their support as well as we wouldn’t be able to do it alone.”