Monessen: No tax hike in new budget

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Taxpayers in Monessen won’t see a rate hike in 2021 as council approved a budget that holds the line on property taxes.

The 2021 budget maintains the 2020 millage rate of 43.11 mills, which is broken down into 29.99 mills for general purposes, 8.63 mills for debt service, .42 mills for the library and 4.07 mills for recreation.   

The millage remains the same, but the city has budgeted for incoming revenues of $4.33 million rather than the $4.95 million budgeted for 2020.

Real estate taxes are expected to bring in $1.45 million in revenues, the earned income tax is expected to produce $650,000 and nearly $640,000 in sanitation fees, delinquent and otherwise, are expected to be collected.

The city plans to spend about $13,000 more on financial administration next year. 

The city has budgeted about $2,500 less for tax collection than it did in 2020, even though the office exceeded its budget by October this year by $13,000.    

The solicitor and legal fees line item for 2021 is also budgeted lower than what was spent by October of this year. In 2019, the city spent $40,000 in that line item and $90,000 was budgeted for 2020. By October, $51,409 had been spent and the city has budgeted $39,000 for 2021.

The addition of a city clerk to Monessen’s payroll has increased the budget for the administration budget from $74,000 to $115,000.

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