Export Council passes 2021 budget with no tax hike

Export Council approved a 2021 budget Tuesday night that does not call for a tax increase.

Council has not raised taxes for more than a decade, and its last tax-related move was to lower taxes about a decade ago, from 16 to the current 14 mills.

The budget’s $668,100 in spending is also expected to help the borough end the coming year with a nearly $30,000 surplus, thanks to $694,000 in projected revenue.

The borough also has a little over $573,000 in unappropriated reserve funds.

Council voted 6-0 to approve the budget. Councilman Jim Mahinske was not present.

In other borough business:

• The Export Historical Society continues to accept donations for its project to relocate the borough’s war memorial to a more central spot, near the area where society officials plan to build a scale replica of Export’s former train station.

Donations can be made via the borough website, ExportPennsylvania.com.

The society’s goal is to have the relocation completed by Memorial Day 2021.

• Borough public works crews will begin installing signage designating places where parking is prohibited, and where vehicles in violation will be towed.

Mayor Joe Zaccagnini said the move is out of concern for safety, after potential issues arose when Export firefighters were battling a recent house fire on Tyler Avenue.

Zaccagnini said the borough’s code enforcement officers will also be more aggressive in addressing violations of its burning ordinance.