Cheswick Council opted not to raise property taxes in its recently passed budget, but some utility prices will increase.

Residents will pay a combined $76 more per year with the utility hikes, $56 for fixed water rates and $20 for refuse rates. That’s a 30.4% increase in water rates and a 7.4% hike in refuse rates over this year.

Sewage and variable water rates will remain the same.

Without a tax increase, homeowners with Cheswick’s median assessed value of $106,650 will continue to pay about $624 in borough property taxes.

Councilman Frank Meledandri, the borough’s finance chair, said the borough opted to raise the fixed water rates ahead of future infrastructure improvements.

“We need to have extra money over and above our expenses to prepare for capital improvements,” Meledandri said.

As for the garbage collection increase, he said council was simply passing along a contractual increase from County Hauling to residents.

The bulk of the budget sits in the borough’s general fund. Projected revenues for that fund are set at about $1.39 million, while expenses would be $1.35 million.

That represents a less than a 2% increase from this year on both sides of the ledger.

Much of the borough’s general fund is earmarked for general government and public works spending, set at about $437,000 combined. That’s in addition to Cheswick’s $387,000 contribution to Allegheny Valley Regional Police and the $238,000 it pays for refuse services.

Meledandri said the borough will also spend about $480,000 on local projects, including water line improvements and a restroom at Rachel Carson Riverfront Park.

The borough’s state liquid fuels tax fund, used to pay for street lighting and winter road maintenance, is projected to have about a $9,300 deficit.

But Meledandri said the borough would cover the costs with money left over from this year, saying the deficit isn’t a long-term problem.

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