Leet officials hope to hold the line on taxes with next year's budget

Leet property owners should not expect to have to pay more in real estate taxes as a result of the township’s 2023 budget.

Commissioners voted 4-0 on Nov. 14 to approve and advertise next year’s preliminary spending plan.

President Martin McDaniel was absent.

The millage rate is projected to remain at 7.7 mills. It has been at least three years since the last Leet tax hike.

“We do very careful budgeting and very careful spending,” manager Betsy Rengers said. “We didn’t see a whole lot of changes for this year.”

Projected revenue and expenses were listed at about $1.965 million.

Income includes $890,000 in real estate taxes, $300,000 in earned income taxes, $45,000 in licenses and permits, $5,500 in fines and forfeits, $83,150 in intergovernmental revenues, $13,700 in charges for services and $6,500 in interest, rents and royalties.

Expenses include $656,000 for public works, $573,000 for police, $350,000 for general government spending including advertising, insurances, administrative and commission salaries and tax collection, $97,000 for fire protection, $35,000 for legal services, $28,500 for recreation and $12,500 for code enforcement. About $31,000 was budgeted for paving Plum Street and $80,000 for payment on a new public works truck.

The preliminary budget is posted on the front page of the township’s website, leettownship.org.

Commission vice president Carolyn Verszyla said the township plans to take out a $150,000 tax anticipation note from First National Bank to help cover expenses until taxes start coming in next year. She stressed the loan was more of an insurance policy than a necessity.

“It’s very important that I meet payroll in that first quarter, and I’m not certain if taxes will be coming in as they normally do,” she said. “We didn’t take one last year. I strongly support a TAN because if you use it, fine. If you don’t need it, fine. The most important thing we do is pay our bills and mainly pay our employees.”

Township employees should expect to see a 5% bump in pay next year. Raises are budgeted for everyone except for interim police Chief Brian Jameson.

Solicitor Stephen Chesney said the township is in the process of negotiating a new memorandum of understanding with its police department head. He cautioned making related compensation decisions until litigation involving former police Chief Michael Molinaro, who filed a federal lawsuit in June against the township, is settled.

Verszyla said she is not surprised that the preliminary budget vote was unanimous.

“We spend our money carefully; budget and we try to live by the budget,” she said. “We were very successful in doing that (this year). It’s a very cooperative board, and they are very supportive of all of our departments. There are no egos. Everything is about the community and the staff. We work for the residents of this township, and we work well together. That’s critical. If you have a board that’s strong, smart and cooperative, I don’t feel the politics on this board.”

Rengers said budget talks begin in September. There were several budget workshops in addition to financial discussions at regular township meetings.

The manager and commissioners do not expect any changes prior to the budget’s formal adoption Dec. 12.