Credit: Amanda Kuehnle/LevittownNow.comguido
On Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. the Falls Township Board of Supervisors convened for their first time since the Thanksgiving holiday to discuss not so distant measures- their 2014 budget.
As numerous townships gather to raise taxes and cut costs in the balance of a not so thrilling economy- Falls Township stands to do exactly the opposite.
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As one of the more fiscally fortunate townships in the area, Falls will not be increasing taxes for its residents and has instead looked for alternate opportunities to expand their tax base. Under the proposed budget, the tax millage rate will stay at 7.22 percent, which means homeowners will pay $216.60 for every $30,000 of assessed value.
Chairman Bob Harvie stated that in the past the board has looked to tax ships arriving at the Bucks County Docks and has also looked to tax the increasing amount of hotels gathering near Cabot Boulevard – however both proposals were denied by the state.
Although residents are happy their taxes will not increase – they still feel there are cuts that can be made and revenue that can be increased.
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“We have to find a way to increase the tax base,” said Falls Township resident Guido Mariani. “It is going to have to be done in the future and I am asking the board to just do it now.”
Mariani is worried that the board may be enthralling in the extra money and will make decisions that will permanently hurt the township. “At the rate we are spending our current prosperity may not continue,” Mariani continued. “I still have not received an answer on where exactly the money will come from to fund these various projects we are currently building.”
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Harvie stressed that the budget is reviewed numerous times and cuts are made where appropriate before it becomes a proposed budget.
The board will convene again on December 17 to properly vote on said proposed budget.
