Centerville council OKs 5-mill tax hike
CENTERVILLE – Centerville Borough Council voted Tuesday to raise taxes 5 mills as a way to possibly avoid laying off employees next year. The tax increase, which includes 2 1/2 mills for streetlights, 1/2 mills for fire hydrants and 2 mills for the general fund, will not take effect until next year.
With the 2-mill increase, the millage rate in the township will increase from 26 to 28 mills. One mill generates $14,640.69.
Council decided to hold off on a request for a 1-mill increase for the fire department at the request of Mariann Bailey.
Last week, the entire township workforce, including six road crew employees and three police officers, was laid off due to budget constraints for the fourth consecutive year.
Council President Patsy Ricciuti proposed implementing tax increases for 2006 as a way to possibly avoid another repeat situation next year. He said there is not enough income for the borough and the millage should have been raised one or two mills per year over the past several years.
The increase will bring in an additional $73,200 for the borough. If the fire department increase is also approved, the borough will gain an additional $87,840.
Council also voted to increase the emergency services tax from $10 to $30, which will add $11,200 to the general fund.
A motion to increase the tax on mechanical devices from $50 to $100 per year was tabled so the solicitor could see if the devices include cigarette machines, or simply gaming machines.
Former councilman Pat Quinn said he wasn’t objecting to a tax increase because he realizes the residents are going to have to live with it. However, he questioned why the increase wasn’t done last year. Council member Susie Zebley explained that it will take time to prepare the new ordinances for the streetlights, fire hydrants and fire department taxes, because they are not in existence now. Ricciuti said the new taxes will not be collected until next March.
Quinn suggested that he would like to see how much money has been spent for attorney’s fees for the Linton Road subdivision issue. “Money was spent that should not have been spent,” he said.
Last year council approved a subdivision request that was challenged in court.
Solicitor Brian Teslovich said two actions that have been brought by those challenging council’s action have been “quashed” by two different judges and they are seeking money for legal costs. “Two judicial determinations (have been made saying) what council did was appropriate,” Teslovich said.
Quinn said he believed the police chief should have been retained, in addition to the borough secretary. When Quinn asked if the road crew will work if it snows, Ricciuti said they will.
“We need to thank all the employees. They come if they’re paid or not,” Bailey said.
Ricciuti said he believes the borough is in a viable position, and said groundwork is being laid to build a park on six acres of land that is being donated to the borough.
Several of those in attendance complained about the cinders that are being put down during snowstorms, saying there are dirty and too many are being used.
Councilman Fred Roberts said it is too expensive to strictly use salt, and the borough uses a mix of salt and cinders. Roberts said the cinders have to be put on the roads for liability because if someone wrecks, they could sue because there were no ashes on the road.
Council accepted the resignation of zoning officer Jake McCusker, effective Feb. 27, and agreed to advertise for the position.
Council met in executive session for 40 minutes to discuss litigation surrounding a Linton Road zoning issue. Following the executive session, Barbara Samarin abruptly left the meeting.