Wharton supervisors raising local service tax, extending LERTA
The Wharton Township supervisors are considering raising a tax on working residents and extending tax breaks for businesses.
The township supervisors on Wednesday directed solicitor Riccardo Cicconi to prepare an ordinance to raise the $10 local service tax to $52 next year.
The tax is assessed on residents earning more than $12,000 a year.
A hearing would have to be held on the ordinance before the supervisors can vote to make the increase go into effect in 2012.
Supervisors also instructed the solicitor to prepare an ordinance to extend the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program, which expires in December, for another five years.
LERTA makes new construction and renovations at business, commercial and industrial properties tax free.
In other business, the supervisors:
n Voted to advertise an ordinance prohibiting dogs, setting a speed limit and regulating parking at the township park. Supervisors will vote on the ordinance at their Oct. 3 meeting.
n Announced that a hard-to-recycle collection will be held in the lot across from the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department on Route 381 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 17.
Television sets also will be accepted this year.
n Changed the employee health insurance provider to UPMC from Highmark. The change will reduce township costs by 25 percent.