In a slim majority, Verona council approved a 2026 budget that includes a 9% tax increase for residents.
The budget passed in a 4-3 vote during the borough’s December council meeting.
The budget includes a 1-mill tax hike, increasing borough millage to 11.7 mills.
People with a median assessed property value of $51,700 will pay nearly $605 on their tax bill. This an average $52 increase for residents.
Josh Gemellas, Nancy Carpenter, Trish Hredzak and Sylvia Provenza voted in favor of the budget. Council president Ray Suchevich, Timothy Long and Vincent Flotta voted against it.
Revenues are predicted to be a little more than $2.5 million. Expenditures are projected to be almost $2.4 million.
Larger expenses for the township include almost $970,000 for police and around $250,000 dedicated to administration.
Administrative costs will increase with the hiring of a full-time manager Jason Dailey, the borough’s interim manager previously said.
Public safety costs are budgeted to take into consideration planned hires, vehicle purchases and equipment costs. The borough will increase the police pay rate from $28.35 to $31 per hour, and intends to hire a fifth full-time officer.
Officers will be paid their current rate through August.
Other big expenditures include more than $290,000 for public works and almost $450,000 toward solid waste management.
The largest revenue sources for the township are $1.15 million from real estate taxes and almost $415,000 from Local Tax Enabling Act taxes, including earned income taxes and real estate transfer taxes.
