Paving project bumps New Kensington budget to $12.4M; taxes hold steady

Property taxes will not change under New Kensington’s $12.4 million budget for next year.

Council this week approved the city’s budget in a 4-0 vote, with Todd Mentecki absent, said City Clerk John Zavadak.

The property tax remains at 32.02 mills.

A property assessed at the city’s median value of $17,476 would continue to pay about $560 in municipal taxes.

The budget is about $1.19 million more than last year. Zavadak attributes the increase to a paving project being funded by a loan from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank.

Zavadak said the loan was obtained with the help of state Sen. Joe Pittman.

The preliminary list of streets to be paved includes: Fourth Avenue, from Ninth to 11th streets; Beech Street, from Seventh Street Road to Strawn Avenue; Haser Drive, from Seventh Street Extension to Zaleski Drive; Zaleski Drive; Birch Street, from Oates Boulevard to Vogel Drive; Summit Street, from Seventh Street Road to Pleasant Avenue; and Constitution Boulevard, from Seventh to Ninth streets.

It also includes Spring Street, from Seventh Street Road to Pleasant Avenue; Pleasant Avenue, from Spring to Summit streets; McLaughlin Drive; Charles Avenue, from Oakwood Street to the cul-de-sac; Grandview Boulevard, from Seventh Street Road to Ross Avenue; Industrial Boulevard, from Ninth to 10th streets; and Adams Street, from Fernledge Drive to Caldwell Avenue.

Others on the list are Esther Avenue, from Constitution Boulevard to Louise Street; Catalpa Street, from Freeport Road to Orchard Street; and Long Vue Drive, from Seventh Street Extension to Fairmont Street.