Jun 20, 2008 By Rebekah Sungala 2 min read

BROWNSVILLE – Borough council discussed levying a blight tax on uninhabited buildings at Thursday’s meeting. Council President Jack Lawver asked council members to consider imposing such a tax, noting that it would generate additional money for the borough.

Lawver said the tax would have a monthly escalating fee and would be placed on all uninhabited buildings that are considered blighted properties.

Although the legalities need to be worked out, the tax should be easy enough to institute since the borough already has a downtown area that has been deemed blighted, Lawver said.

According to Lawver, the property owner would be required to provide engineering plans and fix the property within a certain time period for the tax to be lifted.

Council unanimously agreed to take the proper steps to institute a blight tax and authorized the borough solicitor to look into the matter.

In unrelated business, council agreed to have Weeds Inc. spray chemicals along steps and streets in the borough to kill the weeds growing there at a cost not to exceed $2,000.

Council also discussed hiring a company to cut grass in the borough.

According to council members, the company would cut grass on properties where the property owners have failed to do so, and the property owner would be billed.

Borough employees usually cut the grass, but the street department is short-staffed and backed up on work, council said, noting that the borough will look into getting prison workers to help cut grass before hiring a company.