DALLAS TWP. — The proposed 2016 budget will contain a 28 percent tax increase, supervisor Bill Grant said Tuesday.
Several factors weighed in creating a need to increase the rate, including the elimination of the per capita tax, wage increases for the Dallas Township Police and Road Department, the addition of a new police officer, healthcare cost increases and other items, Grant said.
“The proposed mill rate will be increased from .97 to 1.25 mills,” Grant said.
The cost to taxpayers for a home assessed at $180,000 would be $49.50, he said. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed value.
Grant explained the township does not benefit from the full value of the mill rate. The township only receives 6.47 percent of the tax, while 65.31 percent is given to the Dallas School District and 28.22 percent goes to Luzerne County, he said.
“We still have the lowest millage in the county,” he said.
The proposed budget contains $3,321,143 in revenue and total expenses of $3,314,139 that create an end-of-year surplus of nearly $7,000, Grant said.
“We are in a sound (financial) position,” he said.
The budget will be available for public viewing from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the municipal building. The proposed budget is scheduled to be voted on at 9 a.m. Dec. 30 in the municipal building.
In other news, representatives from Pennsylvania Department of Transportation are scheduled to attend the Jan. 18 meeting to discuss the construction phase planning for the Upper Demunds Road realignment project. The project is slated to begin in 2016.
Also, Dallas Township Police Sergeant Doug Higgins was promoted to assistant police chief, effective Jan. 1.
Police Chief Robert G. Jolley advised residents to lock their vehicles at night and close garage doors.
There are people entering vehicles and entering open garages stealing items, Jolley said.
Dallas Township Supervisors will hold a reorganization meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 4 in the municipal building. The next regular monthly supervisors meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 18.
