Bethel Park property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes this year to fund the municipal budget.
Council recently passed its 2025 budget with no tax increase.
The millage rate remains 3.53 mills, with 0.34 mills allocated for the fire department fund.
The earned income tax rate also stayed the same.
Projected revenues were listed at about $28.27 million and expenses at $27.15 million, a net reserve of about $1.12 million.
Municipal manager Kristen Denne said officials strive to create savings each year to add to Bethel Park reserves in case of emergency. Financial documents show reserves are at about $8.15 million.
Expected income includes about $15.226 million in enabling taxes, including earned income, $8 million in property taxes, $1 million in grants, $1 million in department earnings, $328,750 in licenses and permits, 157,000 in interest and rentals and $83,000 in fines.
Expected expenditures include about $7.6 million for public safety, $3.78 million for sanitation, $2.66 million for public works, $1.27 million for recreation, $921,000 for the library, $797,000 for debt service, $661,400 for administration, $281,650 for tax collection, and $175,000 for animal control.
The municipality raised taxes last year by 0.75 mills and the municipal portion of the tax on earned income and net profits by 0.1%.
Cost-cutting measures were key when formulating this year’s budget with income and real estate tax projections remaining flat.
“We are pretty aggressive in this budget,” Denne said. “Council truly did work with staffing. We went line item by line item to make sure we were doing zero-based budgeting, and what we were purchasing was a ‘need’ and not a ‘want’ or a wish list.”
She thanked other municipal leaders for thoroughly examining their options and coming up with ideas on maintaining programs and services.
“Department heads equally were very responsible in keeping their budgets in line and reduced, when possible,” Denne said. “It has been quite a balancing act this year to keep up with all of the costs of inflation, energy costs, supply costs. They really have hunkered down and done the work to really examine their departments and see where they’re able to save money.”
Denne expects January to be an expensive month with all the snow removal compared to last winter, but that should not have much of an impact on funds later in the year.
“We have expectations of meeting all budget goals and capital goals,” the manager said.
Spending highlights
About $4.5 million was allocated for capital projects, including $400,000 for traffic signal improvements to help with pedestrian and driver safety, $191,800 for a public works truck and related equipment, $146,000 for mobile data units and new AEDs for the police department, $125,000 for other information technology upgrades and computer replacements and $9,000 for broadband equipment.
About $500,000 was budgeted for Molly Hill Park and Miners Park improvements.
They include repaved basketball courts, play areas and new play equipment at Molly Hill Park. A new restroom facility is expected to be built at Miners Park.
Bethel Park budgeted $2.25 million for paving and an additional $225,000 for stormwater management.
Denne said streets are still being evaluated for repairs.
People can find this year’s budget presentation under the finance department section of the municipal website, bethelparkpa.gov.
The municipal newsletter is expected to be sent to residents in early February with more information.
Calls to council members were not returned by press time.