GIRARDVILLE - Borough property owners will not see a real estate tax increase in 2013, a welcome reprieve after a 3-mill increase in 2012.
Girardville Borough Council tentatively adopted its operating budget during Thursday's regular meeting. The vote was unanimous.
Councilman Joseph Chiaretti spoke about the budget before the vote, stating that the council did its best to hold the line.
"We developed a budget that is basically identical to last year," Chiaretti said. "We had a discussion about whether we should have a tax increase to develop a 'capital fund' in order to purchase a police car or repair a roof, but we decided not to."
Chiaretti explained that with delays in getting the earned income tax payments and other revenue, it became a matter of keeping closer tabs on the line items in the current budget.
"It gave us an opportunity to go over each line item and it gave us a chance to hold everybody accountable for expenses," Chiaretti said. "Because we didn't want a tax increase, we decided that we probably could put $500 a month in the (Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust) fund to develop capital monies. Based on that and the fact that we are anticipating a couple of thousand dollars more in property taxes, we pretty much decided to have no tax increase."
Chiaretti added the budget includes a "token" salary increase of 15 cents per hour for all employees, which accounts for about $1,000 in the budget.
"This is a personal opinion but I do think we have some really good employees in the borough right now," Chiaretti said. "I've been working with basically everybody and I think they're a cut above."
He said that superstorm Sandy left Girardville basically unscathed, with little damage, which didn't add to the borough's expenses, and said that the borough "did not spend one penny on snow removal" last winter.
"Now, I've got to tell you that if anybody is interested in making a novena, let's hope that we don't have any snow removal expenses this year," Chiaretti said. "As the budget is, I think we're in solid shape."
The 3-mill increase for 2012 increased real estate taxes to 14.7 mills on a budget totaling $314,500. Last year's budget included salary increases for the borough's part-time police officers.
After the council accepted Code Enforcement Officer Jeffrey Wilson's report, Chiaretti asked about any issues in the report and if everything is under control.
"Pretty much," Wilson said. "We have some citations to write yet and I have to check on a house that burned down on B Street where the sale went through. We're going to send a letter to follow up and see what he (the new owner) is going to do about it."