By James McEvoy, Special Writer
LAWRENCE — For the third straight year, township residents can expect a flat municipal tax rate if the 2016 municipal budget proposed this week is adopted by the Township Council.
The $42.8 million spending plan, outlined by Township Manager Richard S. Krawczun at the Jan. 19 Township Council meeting, would include a flat tax rate of 52.7 cents per $100 of assessed value.
If the budget, which is below the state-mandated 2 percent tax levy cap, is adopted as proposed a resident with a home assessed at the township average of $282,191 will pay $1,487 in municipal taxes — the same amount as in 2015, Mr. Krawczun said.
Though the budget includes an additional $247,000 in appropriations, it will be offset with additional items of review, according to township officials.
“The effort to craft the 2016 budget recommendations did not abandon the quest to provide the appropriate level of discretionary and non-discretionary levels of services versus Lawrence Township taxpayers’ ability to pay,” Mr. Krawczun’s budget statement read.
The budget includes $4.35 million anticipated as surplus, versus $3.75 million in the 2015 budget. There also no planned work force reductions for fiscal year 2016, though salaries were reduced by $189,000 due to retiring employees being replaced by new hires as well as labor contract adjustments, according to preliminary budget documents.
The amount to be raised by taxation in the 2016 spending plan is $23.8 million, which is a decrease of $88,800 from the prior year, and represents 55 percent of total revenue for the budget. Under the proposed budget, the cap levy available brings the township’s two-year levy cap bank to $1.68 million.
Councilwoman Cathleen Lewis touted the budget for being able to increase the cap bank and maintaining the flat tax rate despite the limitations created by the state’s 2 percent appropriations cap and all the fixed costs present in a municipal budget.
Mayor David Maffei also praised the spending plan, calling it “an example of a thoughtful, careful use of taxpayers’ money.”
Mr. Krawczun said department heads could appear before the Township Council in February to discuss their respective budget proposals. Potential adoption of the budget is likely to come in April, according to township officials.
