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Newtown Supervisors Approve Final 2021 Budget By a 3-2 Vote

Newtown Supervisors Approve Final 2021 Budget By a 3-2 Vote | Newtown News of Interest | Scoop.it

[Above: A resident comment submitted via John Mack's 

 2021 Budget Cut Survey.]

 

Many Newtown Township residents were understandably upset about the proposed Newtown Township “Preliminary 2021 Budget,” which includes a 133% increase in municipal property tax. For the average Newtown Twp homeowner that translates to an ADDITIONAL $200 to $300 per year paid in taxes to the township.

 

That version of the budget included many new and increased expenditures for personnel, services, and capital improvements.

 

John Mack’s Budget Cut Survey* asked respondents to select items in the preliminary budget they would be willing to cut in order to reduce or eliminate the proposed tax increase. The list of items to cut includes many – but NOT all – of the expenditures in the originally proposed preliminary budget. A total of 128 responses were collected.

 

The final budget was approved at the 22 December 2020 BOS meeting by a 3-2 vote. Voting for this budget were Dennis Fisher, John Mack, and David Oxley. Voting against were Phil Calabro and Kyle Davis.

 

The following expenditures cuts were made.

 

  • Eliminate hiring of new Director of Zoning & Code Enforcement. 65% of survey respondents chose that as an item to cut. Estimated savings: $40,000
  • Reduce the Road Program by $50,000. Although a high percentage (47%) of survey respondents were happy with cutting $280,000 from the road program. The majority of supervisors felt it was important to continue to pave at least 3-4 miles of roads every year.
  • Eliminate New police building study. This was "no-brainer." 84% of survey respondents chose that as an item to cut. Estimated savings: $20,000
  • Reduce new police vehicles from 3 to 2. 73% of survey respondents chose that as an item to cut. Estimated savings: $56,667

 

TOTAL ESTIMATED SAVINGS: $166,667

 

The final APPROVED budget includes a 3.99 mill increase in Newtown property taxes, which is a decrease of 2 mills from the preliminary budget. That works out to be about $160 per year increase for the average homeowner. The total Newtown property tax is 8.49 mills or about $340 per year. Calculate your tax here.

 

DISCLAIMER: This was not an official Newtown Township Survey. It’s purpose was solely to inform John Mack, a Newtown Supervisor, of residents' opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.

johnmacknewtown's insight:

*Note: The budget is just a plan for spending. The township will still have the option to spend money on any of the cut items with, however, approval of the Board of Supervisors at a public meeting.

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Newtown News of Interest
These Scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources that may be of interest to Newtown area residents. Please click on the "From" link to access the full original article. Any opinions and "insights" appended to these article summaries are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
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