Latrobe officials are considering doubling the city’s real estate transfer tax, to 1%, increasing revenue from that source to an estimated $155,000 for the pending 2025 budget.

While the budget remains under development, city manager Terry Carcella said he anticipates the city will be able to hold the property tax rate at the current 21.5 mills. Each mill generates about $60,000.

The amount collected through the real estate transfer tax can fluctuate, depending on the housing market and availability of and interest in commercial properties in the town.

The increase from 0.5% should reverse a recent downward trend in revenue from the tax — falling from $147,000 in 2021 to $109,000 in 2023, with about $66,000 collected so far this year, according to Carcella.

“We would get the equivalent of at least an additional mill’s worth of (property tax) revenue with the small change to the real estate transfer tax,” Carcella said.

Latrobe also is eyeing creation of a new position — assistant public works director — as recommended by Grass Root Solutions, a Dormont-based consultant that is working on a five-year strategic management plan for the city. The assistant would take on some of the responsibilities of the public works director, who currently oversees the city’s solid waste transfer station as well as its streets, buildings and other infrastructure.

“We felt we needed another administrator there,” said Carcella.

Carcella couldn’t cite a target date for filling the proposed new position, which would add at least $60,000 to city expenses. He said the city likely would tap funds budgeted for solid waste and transfer station operations to cover costs associated with the position while also pursuing grant funding.

He said the assistant director might work on improving the city’s recycling efforts, which include curbside collection by contracted refuse hauler Republic Services as well as drop-off of recyclable items at the transfer station.

City officials at this week’s council meeting agreed there is a need to educate residents about items that can be accepted for recycling by the city and the hauler.

Public works director Scott Wajdic said items that have incorrectly made their way into the city’s recycling stream range from a pizza box with the food still inside to vehicle brake pads. He suggested placing informational stickers on residents’ curbside recycling containers.

According to the city website, items accepted for recycling include Class 1 and 2 plastics, aluminum/tin cans and various types of paper and cardboard items. Pizza boxes and other containers that have food in them are considered contaminated and are not accepted.

Wajdic suggested the city purchase a wood chipper so it can begin accepting sticks trimmed or fallen from residents’ trees and shrubs.

“If we could chip it, people could use it for mulch,” he said.

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