Jefferson Hills OKs preliminary budget

By Eric Seiverling

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

Jefferson Hills borough council unanimously voted to adopt its 2020 tentative budget at its Wednesday agenda meeting, beginning the process of adopting a final budget by early December.

Borough treasurer Charles Bennett said the motion satisfies a borough code that requires a 30-day window between adoption of the preliminary budget and the adoption of the final budget. Bennett said the final budget will be adopted at council’s Dec. 9 meeting.

“We need that 30-day window for public display, public comment and for advertising,” Bennett said. “We faced this timeline last year and we did vote on it at the agenda meeting, so it’s not final but it is preliminary to get it out on display.”

According to Bennett, the borough’s 2020 expenditures are at $10,728,525 and 2020 revenue numbers sit at $10,613,938, a difference of approximately $114,000.

“Between now and the final budget, we’re going to have to close that gap,” he said. “We either have to increase revenue or decrease expenditures. It represents only 1% of our entire budget so it’s very workable. I feel confident we can bring this budget in line without a tax increase.”

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