By John Tredrea, Special Writer
A Pennington Borough budget for 2014 that will bring no increase in the municipal tax rate was adopted by the Borough Council Monday night.
The budget will hold the municipal tax rate at 43 7/10 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
The spending plan totals $3,333,921, of which $2,177,544 will be funded by local property taxes, with the balance coming from other sources of revenue.
Councilman Glen Griffiths, who chairs the council’s Finance Committee, said the borough’s prudent fiscal practices have allowed it to weather the severe expenses of the past winter without increasing taxes.
Mayor Anthony Persichilli said, "Once again we are showing that small, focused local government can be an effective and efficient means of delivering value to taxpayers."
Water and sewer rates will go up slightly under an ordinance adopted by the council Monday night.
The rate increases will "cost homeowners about $1.42 per month in additional user fees," Mr. Griffiths said. "The first water and wastewater increases — the first in two years — will range from 2 percent to 4 percent. The overall weighted average increase proposed will be 2.4 percent. On an annualized basis, these rate increases are well below the rate of inflation."
The water new rates are: The first 4,000 gallons used each quarter are free, as part of a basic connection charge of $27.96; up to 20,000 gallons will be charged at $6.59 per 1,000 gallons; the next 40,000 gallons will be charged at $6.98 per 1,000 gallons; the next 140,000 gallons will be charged at $7.68 per 1,000 gallons; and any consumption over 200,000 gallons will be charged at $8.97 per 1,000 gallons.
Also adopted at Monday night’s meeting was an ordinance that establishes a two-hour parking limit, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., excluding Sundays and holidays, on the east side of Burd Street from West Delaware Avenue to Lanning Avenue and on the south side of Academy Avenue from Burd Street to Crawley Avenue.
