Kiski Township approves final budget with 1 mill tax increase

Kiski Township supervisors on Wednesday approved a $1.6 million budget for 2023, that includes raising township real estate taxes by 1 mill or 22%.

Under the budget, the millage will increase from 4.5 to 5.5 mills. The owner of a home assessed at $50,000 will pay $275, which is $50 more than their tax bill for 2022.

“Everything is up,” said Supervisor Chuck Rodnicki. Insurance, utilities and operating expenses across the board have increased, he said.

Supervisor Sherry Tamski cast the only dissenting vote, saying she thought the township could have done a better job budgeting its money.

The budget allots $283,000 for full-time police wages, $25,000 for part-time officers and $80,000 for the chief.

The overall expenditure for law enforcement services will be nearly $656,000, or roughly 40% of the budget.

North Apollo will pay the township $54,000 for police services. The Apollo-Ridge School District will pay the township $80,000 for two police officers at the district’s three campus schools.

The township’s road department budget will be nearly $100,000.

Although supervisors presented their preliminary 2023 budget on Dec. 14, they did not discuss a real estate tax increase, according to Rodnicki and others present at the meeting.