Bell Acres officials held the line on real estate taxes and maintained services in their 2025 budget.
Council voted 5-0 on Dec. 9 to pass next year’s spending plan and keep the millage rate at 4.82 mills, which includes 4.32 mills for general purposes and a 0.5-mill fire tax.
Council president David Renfrew and councilman Greg Molchen were absent.
Next year’s spending plan is about $2.13 million.
Projected revenues include about $948,000 in property taxes, $630,000 in earned income taxes, $151,000 in intergovernmental funds, $69,000 from deed transfer taxes, nearly $39,000 from licenses and fees, $24,000 in general fund interest, $16,000 in grants and $9,700 from permits.
Projected expenses include a little more than $700,000 for public safety; just under $400,000 for public works; about $370,000 for financial administration, including payroll, insurance, office supplies and pensions; just under $200,000 for executive costs, including administrative salaries and health care; close to $100,000 for the fire department; $40,000 for tax collection; $38,300 for planning and zoning; $26,200 for government buildings and maintenance; $20,700 for legal services; $8,000 for parks and recreation; $6,000 for council salaries; and $3,500 for engineering services.
There were no cuts to programs or services. Garbage collection fees also remain the same. Valley Waste is the borough’s trash hauler.
“I think we’ve been pretty fiscally responsible over the last few years,” council vice president Brock Meanor said. “Since I’ve been on council, we’ve only increased taxes one time.”
The borough last raised taxes in 2023 when it instituted the fire tax to help the fire department.
Meanor commended his fellow council members and borough administration for being good stewards of taxpayer funds.
“We pinch pennies,” he said. “We know that Allegheny County is raising taxes. We know (Quaker Valley) School District is raising taxes, so we really wanted to do everything we can to make sure we can hold the line here in Bell Acres. We still have a full-time police force and we support the fire department. No cuts to our public works.
“In the past few years, we’ve done paving. We are going to just do ‘tar-and-chip’ instead on a couple roads next year, which is cost-effective.”
Grouse Lane was repaved in 2023 and Witherow Road was paved this year.
About $32,000 was budgeted for road improvements next year.
Borough manager Lisa Fleming said the budget addresses needs and has no wasteful spending.
“We were very fiscally conservative and made sure that services were taken care of for the residents,” she said. “That was our main concern.”
About $30,000 is allocated for a new police car. The borough plans to sell an old cruiser to help offset the vehicle purchase.
Fleming said grants are also in the works for a boom mower and other public works equipment, as well as the demolition of a dilapidated property at 109 North Ave.
Potential recreation upgrades include new basketball and pickleball courts at the park near the Big Sewickley Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
The budget is available for review at the borough office, 1153 Camp Meeting Road.