Hanover hikes tax to cover garbage

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SCOTT L. GOMB Times Leader Correspondent

HANOVER TWP. — Commissioners passed a $7.8 million 2010 budget containing a $200,000 tax increase on Monday night.
Commissioners said the tax hike was needed to cover rising expenses such as insurances and fuel cost while keeping services intact. The budget also does away with the separate $200 garbage fee that instead will now be incorporated into residents’ taxes.
Commissioners said that since residents have always had to pay for garbage that it is not really a tax increase. However, residents will still see an increase to make up the extra $200,000, they said.
Under the spending plan, residents will see a 1.94 mill increase with 1.5 mills going directly for garbage. This will bring the total millage rate for the general fund to 5.5, according to Chairman Albert Bagusky.
“It’s not something that we wanted to do,” said Bagusky. “It was something that we needed to do.”
A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed property value.
Commissioner Robert Burns was the lone vote against the budget. He said he believes that there was room in the budget to cut from other programs before raising taxes, but he did not say where those cuts could have come from. Commissioners met only once for about one hour to discuss the budget, he said.
“I couldn’t in good conscience vote for this budget,” said Burns.
Commissioner Ron Hummer said commissioners receive regular input from the township’s budget director, Eileen Valunas.
The budget’s biggest expenditures are public works at $1.6 million and police at $1.25 million.
In other business, commissioners:
• Approved a $900,000 tax anticipation note from PNC Bank at an interest rate of 3.50 percent. First National Community Bank offered a lower interest rate of 3.44 percent but commissioners said that the bid expired on Dec. 11.
• Appointed Eric Richardson and Robert Osborn to the position of sergeant in the township’s police department. Commissioners did not say how much they will be paid.
• Said they will hold a reorganization meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 4 and the regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 11.