SANATOGA PA – Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township‘s 2011 budget was unanimously approved Thursday night (Dec. 16, 2010) by the Board of Commissioners, but not without scoldings from two township residents.

Planning Commissioner William Wolfgang wasn’t happy with what he considered overly generous budgeted raises of 4.25 percent in police salaries and 3 percent in staff salaries. Former Township Commissioner Anthony Doyle again argued the board had pulled too much from fund balance savings, leaving it without sufficient spare cash for future needs.

Under the budget that takes effect Jan. 1:

• No general tax increase. The general fund tax rate levied on real estate within Lower Pottsgrove’s borders remains unchanged for another year. It stays at 1.958 mills, or about $1.96 for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

• Fire services tax rises. Taxpayers’ total township bills will nonetheless go up slightly due to an increase in the fire protection tax collected for services rendered by the Sanatoga and Ringing Hill fire companies. That dedicated tax will rise 6 cents, to a total of .46 mills, or 46 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

• Separately, trash collection fees will go up too, by $12 to a total of $142 a year during 2011, due to an increase built into the township’s contract with hauler J.P. Mascaro And Sons of Norristown PA.

Altogether, on a home in Lower Pottsgrove assessed at $200,000, its owners by year-end 2011 will have paid about $484 in township property taxes, or about $12 more than they did this year.

“I think this is a stab in our backs. I’m really disappointed,” Wolfgang said of the raises, which he claimed should have been renegotiated with police and lowered for staff in light of the shaky economy.

“It’s a legitimate comment,” board President Jonathan Spadt acknowledged. Both the police labor contract and the trash collection contract are due to expire next year, he said, “and we’re trying to do the best we can.” Spadt defended township employees’ raises, however, noting that state regulations had increased their workload. “I don’t dispute they’re not worth it,” Wolfgang countered, “but everybody’s got more work to do.”

Of the cash reserves, Doyle speculated, “if you need another half-million dollars, I don’t know where you’ll come up with it.” Plenty of money remains, Commissioner James Phillips responded, saying he was satisfied that the fund balance had grown to $1.7 million for the start of next year from about $700,000 three years ago.

Related (to Lower Pottsgrove Township’s 2011 budget):

• Lower Pottsgrove Budget Approved, After Some Scolding
• Even With 2011 Transfer, Township Cash Cushion At $1.7M
• Municipal Budget Woes All Over The Local Map
• To Protect And Serve Cots Township $2.26M In 2011
• Five Years Of Lower Pottsgrove Budgets At A Glance
• Garbage Claims 7.5% Of Lower Pottsgrove’s Budget
• No Change In Town’s 2011 Base Tax Rate, But Bills To Rise Slightly
• State of Lower Pottsgrove’s Budget? Hurting, Not Wounded
• Pass The Excedrin. It’s Budget Time In Lower Pottsgrove

Related: (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ meeting of Dec. 16):

• Lower Pottsgrove Budget Approved, After Some Scolding
• Final OK Expected Tonight on Lower Pottsgrove Budget