Brentwood passes 2021 budget with no property tax hike

Brentwood council approved its 2021 spending plan without raising property taxes during its meeting Monday.

Council unanimously approved the $9.9 million budget, which represents a 12% increase from the 2020 spending plan.

Like many municipal budgets, Brentwood experienced some shortfalls in tax revenue, based largely on the effects from the pandemic. Real estate tax revenue took a $166,000 hit, along with another $47,800 lost in revenue generated by fees administered for licenses and permits.

But the borough had a surplus in revenue in other areas, such as revenue generated by transfer and enabling taxes, which amounted to $191,000.

“And we weren’t hit that bad by covid with earned income,” said George Zboyovsky, the borough’s manager. “That means there are maybe more people in Brentwood that were able to work through everything.”

He said the borough also benefited from the coronavirus relief bill. The borough received a $125,000 grant. Brentwood also did not lay off any staff through the pandemic.

“We actually hired an additional police officer,” Zboyovsky said.

The borough’s property taxes have not been increased for five years. The manager said it is possible the borough may not see tax hikes for the next decade or so because of the borough’s recent sale of its sanitary sewer system for $19.2 million.

Zboyovsky said officials have discussed creating a special fund that would offset future tax increases.

Another cost-saving move will happen in 2021 when borough administration and police staff move to a new building that has been under construction for the last two years and under discussion for the last 10 years.

The $4.6 million building, located at 3735 Brownsville Road, will house 24 staff between the two departments. Zboyovsky said the old building, which is located just down the road, is old and inefficient because of its unused space. It used to house its EMS, public works, fire and library staff. Those departments have since moved to other buildings.

The borough borrowed $7 million in 2018 for the project and renovations to the public pool. Leaders have said a five-year financial projection shows no need to raise taxes to pay for the loan.

Zboyovsky expects staff to move to the 11,000-square-foot building in January. Officials originally set the move-in date to July but the pandemic put those expectations behind by about six months, the manager said.

That month’s council meeting will be held at the new building, he said.

The borough’s 474-page budget for 2021 can be found on Brentwood’s website.