No Tax Hike Proposed for Buckingham

Buckingham residents shouldn’t expect to see a rise in their township tax bill next year.

Supervisors on Wednesday night unveiled the proposed 2012 budget that keeps taxes status quo.

Residents currently pay a property tax rate of 5.5 mills. That means on an average home assessment of $48,900, the tax bill remains at $269, said Jill Pistory, finance director.

Broken down, 4.5 mills are dedicated to bonds taken out in 1995, 1999 and 2008 for open space preservation; .75 mills goes toward funding for the volunteer fire companies covering the township and the remaining .25 mills is for emergency services, according to township manager Dana Cozza, who gave a budget overview to the board and those attending the meeting.

Cozza compared the township’s tax rate to a handful of neighboring municipalities (2011 taxes) and Buckingham comes in at the lowest (Solebury was highest at 19.06 mills).

Total proposed expenditures are projected at $16.6 million.

Cozza said expenditures, before transfers, are up 1.72 percent in the general fund budget. The departments included in that budget include police, administration, finance, roads, building and codes and debt payments.

Cozza said the township is down 9 employees since 2007, with a total of 49 on the payroll.

General fund expenditures are listed at $7.8 million.

Revenues have decreased by 1.29 percent, said Cozza, mainly from a decrease in building and development fees.

General fund revenues are estimated at $6.28 million.

On the flip side, “We’ve done pretty well with earned income tax collections this year,” said Pistory. Most of the general fund revenues come from EIT collections.

Township administrators added $50,000 more to the capital reserve fund because estimates for the new emergency radio system required by all municipalities have increased.

The township is also transferring $1.2 million from its general fund balance to its park fund for a planned expansion of Holicong Park, creating additional athletic fields and upgrading facilities.

While the board unanimously agreed to posting the proposed 2012 budget, supervisor Henry Rowan said he continues to take a “philosophical” issue with holding money in reserve for land preservation and would rather see the millage rate reduced, so that both current and future generations would be tasked for paying for land preservation in the long run.

“I would prefer to see a tax reduction and continue to use the bond money, especially with the interest rates as low as they are, if we do future purchases,” he said.

The preliminary budget will be posted online by Monday, said Pistory. A paper copy is also available at the township office.

Final budget adoption is set for Dec. 21.