Proposed 2024 Hampton budget would keep property tax rate unchanged for a 7th year

Hampton council is expected to vote Dec. 13 on a 2024 preliminary budget that will keep the property tax rate at its current level while increasing spending in several key areas.

At about $16.23 million, the proposed budget unveiled at the council meeting on Nov. 15 includes about $10.2 million in revenue from property taxes and levies such as the deed transfer and earned income taxes.

About $600,000 left over from this year’s budget will be distributed in various township funds to pay for things such as equipment or building projects.

The 2.9241-mill rate used to calculate real estate taxes will remain unchanged in 2024, said municipal manager Chris Lochner.

A mill represents $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. Hampton’s rate means property owners will pay $292 for every $100,000 of their property’s assessed value.

A public hearing on the proposed budget was scheduled for Dec. 6, and council is expected to consider whether to adopt the spending plan at its meeting on Dec. 13.

In late 2022, the township increased the sewer fee by $5 for this year and again for 2024 to offset the cost of debt payments for the Allison Park Wastewater Pollution Control Plant.

The $43 monthly fee will be charged until the project is paid off but the amount is not expected to increase.

“We’re looking at ways to expand our services next year,” said Lochner. “We’d like to hire another employee for the public works department and convert one of our code enforcement officers to a fire marshal, who will serve as a liaison for the fire departments and the township.”

Plans also are in the works to expand and realign some of the programs offered at the community center.

“One of the things we’d like to do is broad the exercise program so that we can add sessions at night,” Lochner said.

He said the township has reaped some financial benefits from the tax paid when real estate is transferred.

Last year’s revenue from the real estate transfer tax was a little more than $1.07 million. This year, the township anticipated collecting about $805,000 but will likely end up with closer to $1 million, Lochner said.

The manager said demand for properties in Hampton has continued to increase, and in turn, that has increased the amount the township collects from the tax.

Earmarked in next year’s budget is about $3.2 million for public works and about $1 million for the recreation department, which is down slightly from the $4.4 million budget for both departments this year.

The township also is planning to add a part-time summer position in public works and fill it with a student from the high school, Lochner said.

Increases in revenue from the pension money the township has invested will result in a reduction in the amount that will have to be paid to fund the program for retired employees.

This year, the township budgeted about $3.8 million, but that will drop to about $2.5 million in 2024 because of the greater income from investments, the manager said.

The budget for public safety services, which is about $3 million this year, will increase to about $3.4 million.

“One of the things we are planning is a review of our police department to ensure that they have the resources they need,” he said.

When developing the annual spending plan, township officials are focused on maintaining or improving the level of services offered while at the same time being conscious of the impact higher taxes have on residents.

“Our ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for our residents,” Lochner said.