Murrysville set to vote on 2023 budget with no tax hike
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Murrysville Council last week delayed a vote on a $15.4 million 2023 budget, which does not includes a tax hike.
The vote will take place at the final meeting of the year.
Chief Administrator Michael Nestico said updates to some elements of the municipality’s salary ordinance require the municipality to readvertise the final budget.
As proposed, the property tax rate will remain at 12.05 mills — where it has been since 2007. A mill is estimated to generate $334,000.
The municipality has seen significant cost increases in recent years, owing primarily to the covid pandemic.
“The largest 2022 increases were utility usage and the same type of thing people were seeing at home, along with increases at the gas pump,” finance director Jacie Milchak told council during budget discussions in November.
As a result, municipal officials postponed some projects, such as fixing a landslide on Meadowbrook Road.
“Our (road) overlay program also got hit with some price spikes,” Milchak said, adding that the liquid fuels tax money passed down from the state is expected to be down $50,000 from 2022 levels. That money is largely used for road improvements.
On the positive side, Milchak said, council’s decision to bump up its share of earned income and real estate transfer taxes has been very beneficial.
“We’re seeing a bigger increase than projected from the earned income tax in particular,” she said.
And while Milchak said it’s hard to predict what unforeseen expenses could arise, “we don’t expect it to increase the same it did (in 2022.)”
Council will vote on the budget at its final meeting of the year, set for 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at the municipal building, 4100 Sardis Road.
Meetings are broadcast live on Comcast local access Channel 19 and livestreamed at Murrysville.com on the Channel 19 page.