Westmoreland plans $345M budget for 2021 without increasing taxes

Westmoreland County commissioners still have to go through each line item in the proposed 2021 budget, but it doesn’t appear they will seek more revenue from property owners.

“There is no tax increase,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said.

The board on Tuesday approved a $345 million preliminary spending plan. Finance director Meghan McCandless said the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult to craft the budget this year.

“There’s just so much uncertainty,” she said.

Last year saw the county raise property taxes — half a mill to 21.49 — for the first time in 15 years. That increase was expected to generate nearly $2 million in additional revenue this year. That extra money was needed to balance the 2020 budget, which left about $267,000 in the county’s surplus account.

In the proposed 2021 plan, there will be an anticipated $433,289 left in the fund balance, Kertes said.

“We are looking at other methods of refinancing debt to help increase this number,” he said.

Kertes and Commissioner Doug Chew, Republicans who are new to the board this year, reopened the 2020 budget in January but were unable to make any changes. They said then there was no clear path to cutting spending that wouldn’t affect staff levels or services.

The current draft is the first step in the process, said Commissioner Gina Cerilli, the board’s lone Democrat. Commissioners will further look to lower the budget before voting on a final spending plan Dec. 17.

“With everything going on, we have not sat down with the budget and looked for cuts,” Kertes said.

The preliminary plan is available for public inspection at the commissioners’ office and financial administration department at the courthouse prior to next month’s meeting. It also is available online at co.westmoreland.pa.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3027.