Monroeville increases spending without raising taxes
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Monroeville’s 2020 budget does not include an increase in property taxes.
The $35.3 million spending plan represents a 0.85% increase from 2019’s budget and calls for a $3.2 million transfer from its fund balance. Current projections show the fund balance will reach $8.3 million by the end of 2020.
Initially, Manager Tim Little called for a $2.4 million fund balance transfer.
That figure increased when council approved a $185,000 allocation to the municipality’s ambulance services, a $150,000 increase. Other factors included retro pay for police officers under a newly ratified contract, Little said.
The municipality’s police union agreement expired Dec. 31, 2018.
Wage increases for union members and the addition of three police officers to be hired, possibly next year, also required the use of additional fund balance money, said Josie Rock, finance director.
The spending plan also calls for the transfer of $2.5 million from the general fund to pay for capital improvements, such as paving roads, maintaining traffic lights, vehicles and buildings.
Historically, $1 million has been transferred from the general fund for this purpose, Little said. But to keep up with deteriorating assets, council added another $500,000 to its $1 million allocation in 2019 for capital improvements. In 2018, council earmarked $1.8 million for road repair.
The budget also includes the hiring of three full-time employees – an assistant manager, an additional IT staff member and a deputy chief of police – to prepare for administrative retirements in the next two to four years.
There is an earmarked $15,000 for the hiring of an economic development consultant.
Below is a list of the township’s largest expenditures in the 2020 spending plan:
• Public safety: $14.1 million
• Public works: $7.8 million
• General government: $4.5 million
• Debt service: $3.4 million
• Human services: $2.8 million
• Transfers: $2.5 million
To read the entire 236-page budget, click here.