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No tax increase anticipated in Peters Township

By Harry Funk staff Writer hfunk@thealmanac.Net 3 min read
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Peters Township does not plan to increase the real estate tax rate for 2019, despite a preliminary budget plan that shows expenditures considerably exceeding revenues because of some major capital projects on the horizon.

The tax rate is projected to remain at 1.622 mills, with an owner of property valued at $300,000 paying $486.60.

The difference between anticipated revenues, $22.6 million, and expenditures, $27.9 million, will be reconciled with the adoption of a balanced 2019 budget, with township council to vote on the measure at one of its December meetings.

Peters Township budget charts

Council’s Nov. 26 meeting included a public hearing addressing the budget, with township manager Paul Lauer providing details about next year’s expenditures.

“We have a number of capital projects that we’re going to be undertaking that will spend down monies that have been set aside for that purpose,” he said. “The other thing that the budget contains is a commitment to borrow funds to undertake capital projects.”

The cost of such long-term-investment projects is to be financed partially through a forthcoming bond issue.

A major undertaking in the coming year involved construction of a road through the former Rolling Hills Country Club property, which is split between the municipality and Peters Township School District. The district is building a new high school on its half, and the township is undertaking plans for a public park.

The new street, including its intersections with East McMurray and Center Church roads, has a price tag of $7 million, with the cost borne equally by the township and school district. On the municipal side, $2.64 million will be drawn from traffic impact fees that have been collected from developers and $512,000 from bond issue proceeds.

Anticipating the eventual development of Rolling Hills Park is a measure in the 2019 budget to bolster manpower, with an additional full-time laborer to start in the spring.

“The portion of the property that we own is about the equivalent of having to maintain another Peterswood Park,” Lauer said about the 133-acre public space between Bebout and Froebe roads. “And to do that without increasing the staffing in the public works department means that there are other jobs that aren’t getting done.”

Peters Township budget numbers

The budget calls for the creation of another full-time position, assistant parks and recreation director, and transitioning a part-time position within Peters Township Public Library to full-time status.

As for Peterswood Park, a substantial amount of work is planned for 2019, including playground improvements that are benefiting from $400,000 in state grants. In all, the township anticipates receiving nearly $3 million in grants next year.

Also on the revenue side, earned income tax of .5 percent is expected to generate more than $6.5 million as the largest source, with the healthy amount corresponding with a Washington County trend.

“We think that is a reflection of what’s been an upturn in the oil and gas industry over the last year and a half,” Lauer said.

By comparison, the anticipated revenue from real estate taxes is $5.13 million.

Also during the meeting, three new Peters Township police officers were introduced to township council members. Rachel Harper, Spencer Scott and Conor Wohlfarth all most recently served in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.

Harry Funk/The Almanac

Harry Funk/The Almanac

Chief Douglas Grimes, left, greets new officers Conor Wohlfarth, Spencer Scott and Rachel Harper. The three new Peters Township police officers, all of whom most recently served in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, were introduced to township council members during the Nov. 26 meeting.

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