PINE GROVE - Pine Grove residents will not pay more in taxes in 2012.
The borough council recently adopted the budget at a special meeting, keeping the tax rate at 14 mills. Revenues are at $1,033,696.84 and expenses at $1,029,606.19.
For 2010, the budget called for revenues of $1,157,125.00 and expenses of $1,147,092.
Water rates will also remain the same at $105.60 per quarter for usage up to 8,000 gallons, said Judi Kassab, secretary/treasurer.
Less revenue has come into the borough since Pine Grove Landfill Inc., Ravine, closed in June, Mayor Kimberly-Brown Zerbe said, and the borough also expects less revenue from taxes. Flooding in September also has hurt the borough's bottom line, with the closure of businesses and homes and people being unemployed.
"We're not planning to hire any new employees," Brown-Zerbe said.
In the 2010 budget, $249,000 was projected for Earned Income Tax revenue, and so far $198,000 has been received, Brown-Zerbe said. For 2012, $222,000 is budgeted for EIT revenue. Declining revenues are also anticipated in for real estate collections.
The 2012 budget calls for $374,000 in real estate revenues, compared with $332,00 in 2011, Brown-Zerbe said.
The police department budget decreased this year, from $282,000 to $266,000, she said.
The budget for the borough fire departments, Pine Grove Hose, Hook and Ladder and North End Fire Company, increased by $100 to $39,112 after some clarifications were made in the department budget.