Export officials expect to pass a $1.1 million 2026 budget that keeps the tax rate at 14 mills.

Council plans a special meeting Dec. 16 for budget approval.

“We have about $230,000 that we’re carrying over from this year, and we allotted a little more money for paving and street work if we decide to do that,” Mayor Joe Zaccagnini said. “We were also able to save $20,000 on our annual debt service, thanks to being finished with payments on the flood-control project.”

Export has experienced at least eight floods since the early 1900s. It’s bordered on three sides by hills. Turtle Creek’s headwaters start just north of Delmont, and from there it’s a downhill run straight through Murrysville’s White Valley neighborhood and into Export, where the creek bisects the town.

Over the past decade, the borough has been paying off the cost of essentially creating an emergency channel underneath the town, made of a series of concrete box culverts. It is put into use when Turtle Creek overflows its banks. This past summer, borough officials made the final payments on the project.

Zaccagnini said the town is anticipating about $982,000 in expenses in 2026.

“That will leave us with a $160,000 balance if everything goes right,” he said.

Among the borough’s larger projects for next year is work on the sewer line running along Italy Road.

The borough was awarded a grant of more than $360,000 through the state Department of Community and Environmental Development’s Small Water and Sewer Grants program. About $200,000 would go toward sewer line work along Italy Road, with $173,000 for future sewage work along Buchanan Street.

“We’re going to have to start jumping on that sewage line work,” council President Barry Delissio said. “The grant expires in September or October of 2026.”

The borough is also in the process of enrolling Italy Road in PennDOT’s Turnback program, which will allow them to retake control of the road’s paving schedule and winter maintenance.

Council will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 to vote on the 2026 budget. For more, see ExportPennsylvania.com.

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