Borough OKs $3.69 million budget

New Hope’s spending plan will not raise the tax rate.

By: Linda Seida
   NEW HOPE — The Borough Council approved a $3.69 million budget that will not raise municipal taxes in 2007.
   The council unanimously approved the spending plan that shows expenses rising by 2.7 percent, or $94,195, but not before quizzing Police Chief Rick Pasqualini on the need to lease a third SUV for the department at a cost of $27,000.
   It also questioned the need for the department to keep as many cars in use as it is.
   The department has nine police vehicles and one more for parking enforcement. Based on the police officers’ contract with the borough, six vehicles go home with and are maintained by the officers who drive them.
   "Can we take a car offline?" Councilman Ed Duffy asked.
   President Richard Hirschfield said the borough is contractually obligated to keep the six cars the officers take home. That perk will end when the six officers who drive them either retire or leave the department.
   The council asked the department to provide a five-year plan outlining the replacement and retirement of its fleet of vehicles.
   Chief Pasqualini and Mayor Laurence Keller defended the department’s needs. One of the cars in service now is an older model with a slipping transmission.
   "We’re trying to get through the winter," Mayor Keller said.
   When he was hired almost five years ago, Chief Pasqualini said, he arrived to find a sad-looking fleet. One car had holes in the floorboards, and rust was apparent elsewhere.
   "The fleet was in terrible shape," he said. "When I came here, you had a car that shouldn’t have been on the road. That’s not the representation we want our cars to portray to the public."
   The additional SUV is needed because of the types of emergencies the department responds to, the chief said. He explained there have been three major floods in the past two years and five major snowstorms during his tenure.
   Under the budget that was approved Dec. 20, the owner of a house assessed at the borough average of $47,409 will pay the same for municipal taxes as in 2006, about $461.
   The tax rate will be 9.725 mills. One mill is equal to approximately $58,246. Seven mills will go to the general fund, 1.5 mills will go to the fire protection fund, and 0.725 is earmarked for street lighting. The library fund and the ambulance and rescue fund each will receive 0.25 mills.