Sharpsburg preliminary budget has no tax hike

Sharpsburg residents should not expect to pay more in taxes as part of next year’s budget.

The borough’s preliminary spending plan for 2024 contains no tax hike or cuts to services. Borough sewer rates are also expected to remain stagnant.

The property tax rate for the 2023 tax year spiked from 7.5 to 9.75 mills.

Proposed revenues for 2024 were listed at about $5.4 million, and expenses at about $5.074 million, with an estimated surplus of $326,000.

Projected income includes about $1.257 million in local real estate taxes, $823,500 in earned income and mercantile taxes, $1 million in intergovernmental revenue and $1.372 million in service charges.

Projected expenses include about $1.016 million for police, $572,000 for garbage collection; $162,000 for code enforcement; $125,000 for fire protection; $125,000 for road repairs; $61,800 for council including salaries, operating supplies, meetings and conferences; $58,200 for tax collection costs; $40,000 for legal services, and $27,800 for cultural and recreation.

The budget is available for review at the borough office and online at sharpsburgborough.com/finances.

Council voted Oct. 26 to advertise the spending plan. It is expected to be approved at the Nov. 23 meeting.

“This budget season was significantly easier than last year due to the efforts of the entire borough staff to contain expenses while continuing to provide excellent service to our residents,” said Peter Adams, councilman and finance committee member.

“The 2024 budget reflects a shift from getting Sharpsburg into a sound financial situation to sustaining our financial stability and continuing to fortify it for future necessary capital expenditures in the years to come,” Adams said.”I am very pleased with Sharpsburg’s financial progress over the last year and the credit for that improvement goes to our Manager, Christine (DeRunk) and our staff.”

Major paving and capital projects for next year hinge largely on grant funding, DeRunk said.

The borough seeks about $1.2 million in grants, which will require Sharpsburg to pay about $270,000 in matching funds.

“We have applied for several grants that, if we are awarded them, would fund several projects from the capital improvement plan,” DeRunk said. “We are hoping that we have grants to pay for: ADA ramps, catch basins, additional street paving, a revised comprehensive plan, park renovations at Heinz Memorial Park, park improvements at the Kennedy Park basketball court, a new police vehicle, and a few other smaller items.”

DeRunk said some paving will be done regardless of grants, and streets in need will be identified using RoadBiotics by Michelin, a spinoff from Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. The service automates inspections and generates data using artificial intelligence, according to its website.

“(The budget) is balanced, but the grants are a cherry on top,” Councilman Jonathan Jaso said. “A lot of grants that we are going after, if awarded in our favor, there will be some good projects that are needed.”