Frazer tax rate to hold steady but assessed values could go up, raising tax bills for some

Frazer officials don’t plan to raise property taxes next year, but some homeowners could pay more nonetheless.

The township’s $1.3 million budget will maintain a tax rate of 3.5 mills, but Supervisor/Township Secretary Lori Ziencik said the board plans to reduce the Homestead Exclusion from $40,000 to $20,000.

That means property owners with a Homestead Exclusion could see the assessed value of their property — the value used to calculate taxes — increase by $20,000 next year.

The Homestead Exclusion was signed into law in 2006 and provides a tax reduction on primary residences. Under the program, the assessed value of a home or farm is reduced by a set amount before taxes are calculated.

“The $40,000 Homestead Exclusion has been in place for 17 years,” Ziencik said.

Reducing it will add about $25,000 to the township’s real estate tax revenue, she said.

“This, along with a surplus in the general fund anticipated at the end of 2024 will allow us to keep the tax rate at 3.5 mills,” she said.

Currently, the owner of a home at the township’s median assessed value of $68,800 pays about $241 in township real estate taxes.

The same property next year, with $20,000 less in homestead exemption, would pay about $70 more because of the change in assessed value.

Supervisors will vote on the final budget Dec. 3.

The total spending plan is about $180,000 more than this year. The increase in expenses is primarily because of $75,000 for a new police vehicle and equipment and about $83,000 in estimated real estate tax refunds.

There also will be a $10,000 bump in police pension municipal obligation.

Supervisors budgeted $612,000 for township public safety and $156,000 for roads, and that’s just for basic operations.

There are no major repairs planned, Ziencik said.

“We have no parks, sewer lines or waterlines to budget for (next year),” she said.

This year, Frazer faced some hefty expenses after three Pittsburgh Mills commercial properties won their assessment appeals.

Frazer refunded $35,760 to Sam’s Club and $35,072 to Walmart — both totals from a five-year period between 2019 to 2023.

The township also refunded $7,137 to Vista Myrtle Beach Hotel and $5,097 to Frazer Mills Hospitality, past and current owners of SpringHill Suites.