Fox Chapel officials plan no tax increase with next year's budget

Fox Chapel property owners should not expect to pay more in borough real estate taxes next year.

Council unanimously voted Nov. 18 to advertise its proposed 2025 spending plan.

Budget documents indicate the millage rate will remain at 2.95 mills.

The borough has not raised taxes since 2019.

Projected revenues were listed at $10,510,300 and expenses at $10,464,900, netting a $45,400 surplus.

Expected income includes about $4.5 million in Act 511 taxes including earned income and local enabling taxes, $3.575 million in real estate taxes, $556,200 in state capital and operating grants, $401,200 in other taxes, $372,800 for public safety charges, $319,000 in interfund operating transfers, $259,800 in interest and rents, $157,000 in business licenses and permits and $5,200 in fines.

Expected spending includes $2.738 million for police, $1.721 million for roads and streets, $1.53 million for other public works projects, $1.198 million in interfund operating transfers, $1.172 million for general government including salaries, benefits and supplies, $943,400 for sanitation, $558,900 for recreation and library contributions, $320,800 for debt service and $122,900 for insurances.

The budget is expected to be available for public review at the borough office starting Dec. 2.

Borough Manager Gary Koehler said the two weeks from the budget advertisement vote to public inspection is so the borough can thoroughly review any adjustments and follow a legal process.

“We don’t hold anything for two weeks,” Koehler said. “The council has the opportunity to make changes, which we then need to input into the budget document. Changing one- or two-line items changes all of the totals. This work takes time to review and double-check.

“Once all changes are made, we are required by state law to advertise that the budget is available for inspection in the official newspaper. Once we notify the newspaper, it takes time for them to place the advertisement.

“The budget is a complex financial policy document that staff has been working on since August. We try to be as accurate as possible, and as finalized numbers come in, we adjust the budget accordingly. We don’t rush the process at the end and possibly make mistakes.”

Council Vice President Harrison Lauer said one of the reasons the borough is able to stave off tax hikes is because of annual surpluses the past few years.

A bulk of that is attributed to an increase in earned income taxes and building permits.

“We’ve had five straight years of revenue growth,” Lauer said. “It’s really been a good half-decade here.“

He also highlighted the conservative and careful approach to budget planning by finance director Jeanine Mancuso.

“We err on the low side in estimating revenues and the high side of estimated expenses,” Lauer said.

Borough officials expected to finish out this year with a cash balance of $4.3 million.

Budget highlights

Some of the highlights include $550,000 in capital purchases, including new ballistic vests for the police department, new fire hose and a rescue truck, and a 10-ton dump truck, material handler conveyor, backhoe and trailer for public works.

The rescue truck is expected to be received in early 2026.

About $193,200 is allocated for the start of a 10-year comprehensive plan implementation.

Koehler said funds will be set aside to implement various projects “after they are planned, designed, contracts awarded and completed.”

A new traffic signal funded by the Green Light Go Grant and Highway Aid funds will be installed sometime next year at an intersection to be named. The cost of that project is about $489,000.

About $1.5 million was allocated for paving. A list of streets has yet to be finalized.