Bucks County Expects To Keep Tax Rate Steady

Bucks County’s preliminary 2015 budges does not include a tax increase.

The proposed $393.3 million budget was presented to the public last week.

County officials noted the budget remains a work in progress that will incorporate ongoing analysis and input from the Board of Commissioners, administration, courts and row offices.

While the county expects a $81,600 surplus this year, uncertainly looms ahead due to decreased revenues, pension contributions, unresolved union contracts and healthcare costs.

“This budget process has been extremely difficult due to the decrease in revenue we foresee next year,” Bucks County Chief Operating Officer Brian Hessenthaler said.  “By continuing to focus on the reduction of expenditures we are able to present a budget for 2015 that does not impose any additional burden to our taxpayers. For that I commend all those involved in this process.”

Bucks County Director of Finance and Administration David Boscola noted the budget is the second consecutive preliminary budget that contains a projected surplus.

The proposed budget is a 1.4 percent spending decrease compared to 2014’s budget.

Officials like Commissioners Chairman Rob Loughery noted “cost containment measures” have helped the county. Over the past few years, the county has reduced their workforce, negotiated new technology contracts, placed a hiring freeze for non-essential positions and intuited a position review committee.

“We have reduced the head count and footprint of county government while still delivering the superior services that residents have come to expect,” Loughery said in statement.

Boscola credited the measures with saving taxpayers money.

The largest portion of the proposed budget is the Health and Human Services Division’s allotment of $220.2 million. The public safety departments came in at second with $142.4 million.

The commissioners and other county administrators will continue to look at the budget, officials said.

A public budget meeting will take place Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Bucks County Courthouse Community Room.

The commissioners are expected to vote on the budget at the December 17 meeting at the Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau on Street Road in Bensalem.