Jefferson Hills real estate tax to remain the same

Real estate taxes will remain the same for Jefferson Hills residents in 2020.

Borough council on Dec. 9 approved the municipality’s spending plan that includes a $10.7 million general fund. The real estate tax rate will stay at 5.66 mills.

Property owners with a home assessed at $100,000 will pay $566 in real estate taxes in 2020.

Of the 5.66 mills collected, 5.226 is allocated to the borough’s general fund, .355 mills goes to fire services and .079 mills goes to ambulance services.

“We have put money into things in this budget. We’re increasing the contribution to the library. We’ve made small increases to our parks and recreation and we’re now realizing that we always need to do more there,” said Charles Bennett, finance officer.

The general fund budget saw contractual increases in 2020 of about 2.5% for all parties and between 5-8% increases to health insurance and pension costs.

The borough increased its contribution to the Jefferson Hills Public Library by 3% to $202,500, Bennett said.

The borough’s road program will remain about the same as years’ past at $740,000.

Sewage and garbage rates also will hold steady.

Capital projects in Jefferson Hills in 2020 are budgeted to total $1.89 million. That’s down from $1.94 million in 2019.

Still, Bennett said, “It’s pretty aggressive in terms of what we’re doing in capital improvements.”

The budget calls for the construction of a $250,000 concession stand at Beedle Park, that will be offset by a $100,000 grant the borough received from state gaming revenues, Bennett said. Plans are to go out to bid for the project in the next month or two and to build the concession stand in the spring.

The borough also received a PennDOT grant for $87,000 to install a new traffic signal on state Route 837 in the Floreffe neighborhood. That project should move forward in the next couple of months, Bennett said.

Capital projects and purchases also include public works equipment, police vehicles and equipment, building and security upgrades and plans to replace a picnic shelter at 885 Andrew Reilly Memorial Park.

The budget also includes funding for a 2020 Community Day, Bennett said.