PITTSTON TWP. – Supervisors presented the preliminary 2017 budget at Monday’s monthly meeting, approving to advertise for a special meeting before the year’s end to go over line items, as well as 2017 resolutions, in more detail.
The $3,620,110 budget comes with no tax increase for residents, township secretary John Bonita told meeting attendees. It also includes a 3.5 percent salary increase for non-supervisors and a quarter mill for an emergency service tax.
Township supervisor Frank Sciabacucci asked about obtaining more detail about the budgetary items, adding he wants to educate himself on the budget in order to be as transparent as possible, prompting the suggestion of a special meeting.
“The budget has to be posted for at last 20 days before it’s enacted, so between now and Dec. 31, we have to enact the budget,” Bonita said, also noting the preliminary budget will be posted on the township’s website.
Some of the biggest operating costs for the 2017 year include $223,025 for administration, $437,835 for police and $281,570 for streets and roads.
Supervisors also approved two applications for grants that will assist in repairs and reconstruction of Freeport Road. If approved, the grants — a Luzerne County Local Share for $460,291 and a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for $455,822 — would help offset the total cost of the roughly $630,000 project, plus fees. The township would supply matching funds, if approved.
Also approved, at the recommendation of Bonita, was the decision to have an independent audit performed on the township’s books and records. After advertising for bids, supervisors approved Michael Fiorielli, CPA, with the winning bid of $4,125 to complete the 2016 audit.
Deciding to table a list of 2017 resolutions until they can be further discussed at the special meeting, Bonita quickly went over roughly 20 resolutions that included taxes and fees, including a .25-mill real estate tax, 0.50 percent resident earned income tax and 10 percent amusement tax.
“They’re basically the same as last year,” he said. “Nothing has changed on them.”
