Morrisville $70 tax hike

From the BCCT. Here's the cost of a do-nothing make-businesses-go-away borough council.

Wait until the school district hands in their bill.

Budget includes $70 tax hike
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE

Morrisville residents will pay about $70 more a year in borough taxes if the 2009 preliminary budget is finalized.

A 3.5-mill increase is needed to balance the $5.8 million preliminary budget, which was approved earlier this week and is up from this year’s $5.3 million spending plan.

One mill, or about $60,000, of the increase is allocated for public works trucks and equipment; another mill to purchase fire equipment; and 1.5 mills, or about $90,000, for ambulance service. The hike for ambulance service passed by voter referendum earlier this month. The total millage in 2009 would be 39.43.

The $70 tax hike is based on the average residential property assessment of $20,000. So residents would pay about $788 in borough taxes next year.

The borough will pay about $45,000 more in sanitation charges in 2009 due to an increase by the borough’s trash hauler. It also will put out $149,530 more for salaries, insurances and general operating costs with no millage increase, borough Manager George Mount said Wednesday.

A majority of the budget, $1.53 million, would go toward the police department.

The budget has to be finalized by Dec. 31.

The budget is available for public viewing at the borough hall, 35 Union St. For more information, call 215-295-8181.