Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The Falls Township Board of Supervisors plan to hold the line on taxes again – for the 28th year.
Township Finance Director Betsy Reukauf presented the proposed 2020 spending plan at Tuesday evening’s Supervisors meeting.
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The $32.7 million budget would keep the millage rate at 7.22, which gives Falls Township the second-lowest municipal millage rate in Lower Bucks County.
In a statement, the township said Falls Township property owners pay $216.60 for an average assessment of $30,000 while the owner of the average Bristol Township property pays $1.036.40 to the municipality.
While this year’s budget comes in $1 million less than the 2019 spending plan, Reukauf said the pension obligation for the township continues to rise and has more than doubled. The township is budgeting $2.1 million for pension costs that are only slightly off-set by state contributions.
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The police department takes up 54.6 percent of the budget and insurance and pension costs come in second at 17.4 percent.
The budget also provides for $3.9 million for road improvements. The work would improve Simons Drive, Gilbert Drive and Elbow Lane. Centre Street and at Von Hoffman Park would be milled and repaved.
The new playground and wheelchair accessible ramp to replace the 21-year-old play area at Franklin Kirby Park on Vermillion Way in Levittown is budgeted for $100,000.
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About $85,000 will be set aside for tree trimming and removal of trees infested by the highly destructive and invasive Emerald Ash Borer.
The supervisors asked Reukauf to look at shifting some funding from the fire hydrant replacement fund to the library fund.
The township maintains a reserve fund with roughly $30 million in the bank.
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Residents receives trash and tree and yard waste pickups at no cost because Falls Township is the host to Waste Management’s remaining landfills. The township is expected to earn $16.8 million on host community fees in 2020.
The 2020 budget will be available for public review from next Tuesday through December 17.
The supervisors plan to consider adopting the budget at their December meeting.
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