Westmoreland County holds tax rate steady
Westmoreland County residents will not see an increase in taxes for 2017.
At a continuation of their meeting from 10 days before, commissioners approved a resolution Thursday morning to set the millage rate at 20.99 mills, which has been the millage rate in the county since 2005.
In the last 10 days, Commissioner Gina Cerilli said they were able to cut the deficit down from over $9 million to about $7 million.
The county’s fund balance was used to balance the budget.
Meghan McCandless, director of the county’s department of financial administration, said they anticipate over $16 million remaining in the fund balance by the end of 2017.
In November, the projected revenues in the proposed 2017 budget were set at $119,273,260 and the total projected expenses were set at $137,674,743.
The final budget revenues are approximately $121 million and expenditures are approximately $128 million with the fund balance carry-over used to cover the approximate $7 million deficit.
Cerilli said they didn’t make big cuts in one particular area of the budget, but rather made smaller, more manageable cuts across the board.
Commissioner Ted Kopas added that they did not cut any services out of the budget.
“The cost of everything goes up every year but our revenues have remained flat,” he said. “We’ve spent the past 10 days trying to get the budget to a desirable number, but there isn’t a magic wand out there to balance a budget.
“This one meets the obligation for important social services for the people who rely on them and makes investments in job centers, public education and things that improve the quality of life,” he added.
Commissioner Chuck Anderson said that just as individuals have witnessed the increase in the cost of living each year, costs have continued to go up for the county as well.
“So to be able to live on a flat income over the last 12 years has been quite an accomplishment,” he said.
Cerilli said the county has been on a fast track to spend in past years, but in 2017, their mindset will be to be on a fast track to save.