Blawnox holds line on taxes; suspends road paving in 2021

Blawnox residents will pay the same real estate taxes to the borough in 2021 but revenue loss related to covid-19 will suspend road improvements in the new year.

Council approved the borough’s $2.6 million budget on Dec. 10, keeping the property tax rate at 9.85 mills.

The owner of a home assessed at $100,000 will again pay $985 to the borough.

Residents also pay 19.86 mills in Fox Chapel Area School District taxes, which is $1,986 on a home assessed at $100,000

Council agreed that revenue losses from the covid-19 pandemic make it necessary to skip the yearly paving program.

Projects in past years have cost the borough upwards of $75,000 and there was no slack in next year’s budget for that, officials said.

Manager Kathy Ulanowicz said highlights of next year’s plan include $364,500 for the borough’s police department, $44,500 for the volunteer fire company and $264,400 for the public works.

The borough will see its largest revenues coming in from property taxes, expected to garner $682,000, and expects $110,000 from earned income tax providing the line item isn’t too heavily impacted by unemployment due to the pandemic.

Residents, however, can look forward to park upgrades with more than $110,000 in renovations to the basketball court.

The borough was awarded $55,000 from the Department of Community and Economic Development for the improvements.

The grant comes with a requirement that the borough match 50% of the cost.

“We are in the design process and are looking to complete the rehab sometime in 2022,” Ulanowicz said.

In other borough news, council approved Rick Lee as incoming Emergency Management Coordinator. His appointment begins on Jan. 1.

Council also approved a traffic change along Maple Avenue, making it one-way from Freeport Road to Pine Street.

“The decision was made because at this intersection the visibility is impaired,” Ulanowicz said. “Entering onto Freeport Road could not be done safely.”