No tax increase in South Fayette’s 2020 budget
The South Fayette Township Board of Commissioners approved its 2020 budget Dec. 11 that has no tax increase.
The millage rate will remain at 4.73 mills, even as the budget is increasing to $13.1 million from $12.1 million in 2019.
According to John Barrett, the township’s manager, the budget came into balance by, among other things, reducing the number of proposed new hires in the public works department from two to one, making some trims across all departments in training, supplies, equipment and other nonessential items and making the permanent, part-time recreation coordinator’s position a temporary, part-time position.
The latter decision provoked some dissent among members of the township’s parks and recreation advisory board. In a letter addressed to the board of commissioners, they stated board members were “saddened to hear that all requests for additional funding for parks and recreation-sponsored activities were denied for the budget year 2020,” pointing out that events such as Community Day have seen marked increases in attendance and “our community is growing and there is a growing interest within the community to participate in such events.”
Commissioner Gwen Rodi said “we have to look at everything as a whole. Every single department we have is growing.”
The township’s contribution to its library will remain the same, but its volunteer fire departments will be receiving an additional $50,000 in 2020, making the township’s total annual contribution $300,000. Rodi pointed out if the township had its own paid, full-time fire department “it would cost a whole lot more.”