No tax hike expected for Vandergrift property owners

Vandergrift has no plans to raise real estate taxes next year, according to its preliminary spending plan.

The proposed budget would keep the property tax rate at 28 mills.

Expenditures are projected to hit about $2.5 million, roughly $30,000 more than expected income. That gap would be covered by leftover money from this year.

It has been at least 10 to 15 years since the last tax increase, according to borough Manager Steve DelleDonne.

Much of the proposed budget mirrors the current one, but a few changes stick out. For one, the borough is setting aside only $850,000 for police, which is a $134,000 decrease driven by personnel changes.

Vandergrift no longer has a sergeant and his $76,000 salary on the books. Pension contributions also are down $68,000.

Refuse and recycling collection is another significant spending category, holding steady at about $422,000.

The borough was able to slash recycling worker wages and recycling truck expenses to zero after ending curbside collection in September. But those savings were mostly erased by higher pay for trash collection workers, anticipated truck maintenance and rising landfill fees.

Insurance eats up another major chunk of the preliminary spending plan at $656,728, which is a $44,000 increase from this year. Administrative spending is expected to come in at $132,000, which is just barely above current costs.

Other notable categories, each with little change from this year, include:

• $169,000 for street repairs, associated salaries, snow plowing and other road-related expenses;

• $38,000 for parks maintenance, repairs and similar costs;

• $35,000 for sanitary sewer worker salaries;

• $29,000 for fire and emergency management.

Council is expected to finalize the budget at its Dec. 2 meeting.

The proposed budget is available for viewing at the borough building, 109 Grant Ave.