Arnold Council on Tuesday adopted a $4.4 million budget for 2020 that does not change the property tax rate and increases spending just $10,000 over this year.

The tax rate remains 43.5 mills, with 25 mills going toward general city services and 18.5 mills toward debt service.

At that rate, the owner of a property assessed at $21,000 would owe $913.50 in property taxes.

As a third-class city, Arnold can assess up to 30 mills in property taxes for general purposes. Additional taxes are permitted for paying debt, lighting roads and public places, maintaining and operating recreation places and programs, and caring for shade trees.

City Clerk Mario Bellavia said the city has $3.3 million in outstanding bonds, dating from 1999 and 2006. They are scheduled to be paid off in 2030.

The city is seeking $1.8 million from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority to pay for sewer projects. That money could come as a loan, a grant or a combination of both, a PennVEST spokesman said.

If the money comes in the form of a loan, the city would make payments on that until 2040, Bellavia said.

The city’s application could be considered at the next PennVEST board meeting on Jan. 29.

The city also is applying for grants from Commonwealth Financing Authority programs, which could reduce the amount of money that needs to be borrowed.

The city is looking for money to pay for two projects required under a consent order between New Kensington and the state Department of Environmental Protection, according to Mark Gera, project manager with Gibson- Thomas Engineering.

The order covers Arnold and Lower Burrell, which are customers of New Kensington’s sewage treatment plant, and requires all three to do certain projects, Gera said.

Arnold has two required projects. One will increase the size of an existing pipeline on 14th Street from 8 inches to 10 inches. The other project will separate the storm and sanitary sewers on Moore Street and build a new diversion chamber at the bottom of Drey Street, he said.

The projects already have been designed and permitted, Gera said. If funding is received, work would start in the spring,

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