Feb 2, 2005 By Amy Karpinsky 4 min read

CENTERVILLE – Saying he was making an executive order to save borough council from taking the action, council President Patsy Ricciuti took action Tuesday to lay off the entire road crew and police department. The action, taken during a special meeting of council, is effective Thursday. It will affect the six members of the road crew and the three police officers employed by the borough. Ricciuti said the borough secretary will be retained for four days a week, seven hours per day.

“It’s a savings to us when we need it,” Ricciuti said. He pointed out that similar action has been taken every year for the past four years. In 2004, the employees were laid off from February through May. “I don’t want to lay off the workforce. I worked in the coal mine. Nobody was laid off more than me,” Ricciuti said. He added that he has discussed the issue with the employees.

As a way to possibly avoid laying off employees in future years, Ricciuti also proposed adoption of a six-mill tax increase. Pointing out that the last time there was a millage increase in the borough was in 1994, Ricciuti said they have to start looking to raise taxes.

Ricciuti’s proposal includes 2 mills for the general fund; 2 1/2 mills for streetlights; 1/2 mill for fire hydrants and one mill for the fire departments. One mill in the borough brings in $14,640.69, which should mean an additional $87,840 per year.

Ricciuti also proposed increasing the occupational tax from $10 per person to $30 per person and raising the mechanical device tax from $50 per machine to $200 per machine. He estimated that nearly $100,000 will be raised beginning next year, if all the taxes are levied.

A sheet detailing the yearly costs was distributed. Street lights costs the borough $3,114 a month or $37,368 per year; fire hydrants cost $2,047 per quarter or $8,190 per year and the borough pays $5,000 per year to two fire departments, or $10,000 per year.

Although he proposed the tax hike, Ricciuti said he didn’t want to do it. “There are bills waiting for us. We don’t have any choice,” he said. Ricciuti added that the millage rate should have been raised one or two mills each year over the past several years.

“This is a hard pill to swallow,” he said. “If there was another way, I’d take it. Borrowing doesn’t work.” Last year, the borough borrowed $100,000.

When Ricciuti opened the floor up for discussion, some suggestions were made regarding a way to get more money for the borough. Former council member George Hagedorn suggested placing a luxury tax on gold carts at the country club and council member Danielle Ottoviani suggested looking into charging $1 per parking space per year for businesses with lots.

Hagedorn suggested that the entire body of council should be involved in the budget process, instead of the finance committee. Ricciuti said the budget is done in October, council receives it in November and it is voted on in December. “It’s not done in secret,” he said.

Council member Barbara Samarin said she understands that a tax increase is needed to pay the bill, but added that individuals on fixed incomes can’t really afford any more tax increases.

When Ricciuti asked for a vote on the issue, Mariann Bailey, chairwoman of the finance committee, asked if a vote could be delayed by a week or two. Following a threat by Bailey to resign from the finance committee, Ricciuti agreed that the vote could be taken at next Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Council member Susie Zebley suggested that the two new proposed taxes could also be considered.

Ricciuti said raising taxes is the only way for the borough to survive. “We don’t have the people and we don’t have the buildings,” he said.

An unidentified woman told council that she has heard people complaining that council spent $135,000 for a building that then needed a new roof and furnace. Ricciuti pointed out that the building was worth a lot more, and a $50,000 grant was used to help pay for the cost of the building. He said council member Louis Gajewski negotiated the price of the building down and it was well worth the price.