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$11.3 million budget adopted in White Oak, no tax rate set
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White Oak council on Monday night passed an $11.3 million budget for 2013 but did not set a real estate tax rate for next year.
Councilman George Dillinger said Allegheny County has not yet released White Oak's new total real estate valuation after the recent reassessment.
He said council members will have to wait until the county releases the new numbers before setting a 2013 millage rate.
Borough solicitor Terry Leckman said hundreds of appeals by residents of their newly assessed property values also are pending.
Borough manager Jack Petro said no matter what the new borough valuation is, council under state law is not allowed to set a real estate tax rate that would bring in more than a 5 percent increase in revenue over this year.
One mill in White Oak generates about $136,000.
Mr. Petro said he and Nancy Greenland, borough secretary and treasurer, each will receive 2.5 percent raises after not getting pay increases for two years.
Before the vote, resident Fred Haynes spoke in opposition to the raises and against the size of the borough budget in general. He asked why the borough, at 6 square miles, has an $11 million budget, while Elizabeth Township, at 23 square miles, has a budget of $4.43 million.
Elizabeth Township manager Aaron Sukenik said Tuesday that projected expenses in the 2013 budget for his township total $4.47 million and projected revenues are $4.48 million.
He said the $4.43 million figure likely came from an earlier version of the 2013 budget.
White Oak council President Dave Pasternak added that many of the roads in Elizabeth Township are county roads, which the township doesn't have to pay to maintain. Elizabeth Township also eliminated most of its staff, he said.
Mr. Haynes said after the meeting that 60 percent of White Oak residents are senior citizens on fixed incomes
First Published December 20, 2012 5:50 am
