Leetsdale holds line on real estate taxes, maintains programs and services

Leetsdale property owners will not have to pay more in borough real estate taxes in the new year.

Council voted unanimously Dec. 12 to pass the $2.9 million 2025 budget and maintain the millage rate at 9 mills.

Of that, 8 mills are planned for general purposes and 1 mill for road reconstruction and infrastructure.

All borough programs and services remain intact. Trash collection bills also stay the same.

The borough provides garbage collection and recycling to residents.

Projected revenues include about $1.15 million in real estate taxes; $1.06 million in local enabling taxes, including earned income and business privilege tax; $195,000 in state shared revenues and entitlements; $85,000 in interest, rents and royalties; $38,650 in business licenses and permits; $33,300 in fines and forfeits; and $19,000 in charges for services.

Projected spending includes $803,000 for police; $633,800 for highways and streets, including public works salaries and vehicle maintenance; $171,000 for general government, including council and mayor compensation, liability and workers’ compensation insurances; $169,000 for the borough office, including administrative salaries and supplies; $142,600 for debt service; $140,000 for recreation; $87,570 for fire protection; $57,000 for tax collection; $43,750 for legal services; $25,000 for sanitation; and $11,600 for EMS.

About $150,000 was budgeted for paving. Roads are still being evaluated for repairs.

The budget does not contain any major purchases such as new police and public works vehicles.

Borough secretary/treasurer Jennifer Simek said there were no significant changes to the budget from its November advertisement to the final version.

Council Vice President Osman Awad said one of the reasons a tax increase was not necessary was because of the borough’s more than $1 million reserve fund.

“I feel very good because we’ve got the money,” Awad said. “Years back, we were almost in the red. We’re not in the red now.”

Scott Zahner, councilman and finance committee chairman, said the budget planning process went smoothly this year despite inflationary pressures.

“I worked with all the departments on what they needed,” Zahner said. “We worked together. It was pretty easy. The borough secretary created the template, and the finance committee reviewed and approved the budget before it was presented to council.”

Another financial highlight was the move of borough checking accounts from FNB to Huntingdon Bank.

Zahner said the change is expected to generate more than $65,000 in interest earnings.

New recordkeeping

One of the technical projects for the new year is the digitization of borough records.

Leetsdale was awarded a $5,000 grant through the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission to help start the process. A project start date has not been decided.

Awad said grant funds will be used to pay for online storage and related equipment. He believes this will be a big benefit to residents and others wanting to go through borough archives.

“I don’t want to come up (to the borough office) and spend five hours looking for a piece of paper,” Awad said. “Our archives have all our information. I want easy access, and that’s going to help us a lot. We’re behind the times. That stuff is being done in a lot of different boroughs.”

Zahner said the goal is to get an intern to do the work so labor costs are minimized.