Tax increase expected in Bethel Park after flood

Bethel Park expects to spend about $1 million to clean up after the June 20 flood. As a result, municipal council will consider raising taxes next year.
Council will hold a hearing at 7:45 p.m. Oct. 22 to review the 2019 preliminary budget and to hear comments from citizens. Councilman Jim McLean said that as the spending plan stands now, the budget calls for a property tax increase of 0.25 of a mill. That translates to an extra $25 a year for the owner of a house assessed at $100,000.
The flash flood in June damaged homes as well as municipal infrastructure such as roads and storm sewers. The municipality has already spent about $800,000 on repairs, with another $200,000 in anticipated expenditures.
“That’s a cost that we obviously didn’t plan for,” McLean said at council’s regular meeting Oct. 8.
Bethel Park has a reserve fund that covered those expenses, but McLean said municipal officials are also discussing ways to help flood-prone areas of Bethel Park become less vulnerable. If the municipality wants to spend money on that effort, as well as continue the plans to improve the parks and maintain basic services, the municipality needs to generate more revenue, McLean said.
The proposed tax increase would yield about $600,000 in additional revenue.
Councilman Don Harrison said that if a tax increase is necessary, he would prefer it to be split between property and earned income tax. Raising property taxes places a greater burden on older residents, he said.
In other business, council agreed to purchase a property adjacent to the library and municipal building. The property at 5110 W. Library Ave. currently has a small residence and storefront. Council agreed to purchase it for $170,000 from Raymond Saddon. However, the municipality will not take ownership of the property until June to give the occupants time to relocate.
Council members said preliminary plans for that property are to demolish the building and use the land as a parking area.
Council also accepted grant money from Active Allegheny Grant Program to design a walking and biking trail from Brightwood Road through municipal-owned property to the Lytle Station parking lot. Eventually, the trail might connect to the Montour Trail system, but in the near term, the trail is a way to address some residents’ concerns about pedestrian safety in that area. Municipal Manager Shawn Arbaugh said the municipality looked into installing sidewalks, but determined that might not be feasible.
Council also made changes to improve traffic flow. Parking will now be restricted on the west side of Baptist Road from Hamilton to Horning roads. Left turns from Willis Road to Broughton Road will be restricted during the morning and evening rush hours.