LP landowners likely to dodge tax hike in '09

Proposed budget calls for youth sports teams to pay field reservation fees.

By Bill Bostic
of Linglestown Gazette

Although the 2009 budget for Lower Paxton Township is still a work in progress, it appears to be a safe bet that property owners won't get hit with a tax hike next year.

Township administrators are trying to close a budget gap of about $184,000, which is down from a projected $482,000 deficit two weeks ago. In lieu of a tax hike, the township most likely would use surplus funds to balance the budget.

There's a good chance that the township's ability to slice and dice various departmental expenses and improvement projects to stave off a tax hike probably won't go beyond 2009. Township supervisors cited the nation’s economic crisis as the main reason they are unlikely to pull the trigger on a tax hike next year.

“If we're going to hold anything, this is the year to hold it,” said Bill Hawk, chairman of the board of supervisors, during a budget workshop meeting last Tuesday.

Even with the cuts, township manager George Wolfe told the township supervisors that the $23 million spending plan would keep municipal operations “status quo.”

The final version of the township's 2009 budget probably will be adopted during the board meeting on Dec. 16. Township residents can review the preliminary budget at the Municipal Center from 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

Below are a selection of issues discussed during the meeting held last week:

● The Parks and Recreation Department plans to generate $32,000 next year by charging a daily fee of $5.50 for youth sports groups to reserve a field for a practice or a game. The fee, which is half the current cost that adult groups are charged to reserve a field, would offset maintenance costs and hopefully prevent fields from going unused by groups that reserved them, said supervisor David Blain.

● Construction of a skate park at George Park won't happen in 2009 because the township did not receive a $250,000 state grant needed to fund the project.

● A decision is pending on whether to delay hiring a police officer to fill an open position.
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Other good stuff to know …

● The township's property tax rate is tiny compared to those charged by Central Dauphin School District and Dauphin County.

● A big chunk of revenue that the township receives comes from a local earned income tax and a $52-per-year local services tax.

● Last year the township raised the property-tax rate for the first time since 1990.