Bethlehem Township Adopts No Tax Increase Budget

Bethlehem Township Commissioners unanimously adopted a 2012 budget on Monday night with no tax increase, which keeps township real estate tax at 5.99 mills.

A mill represents one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. A township homeowner whose property is assessed at $75,000 would pay $450 in real estate tax to the township. Sewer fees are also staying flat for 2012.

The township is projecting expenditures to increase nearly $400,000 for the year from its current level of $14.4 million. However, it has planned to spend from a reserve fund that is now estimated at $1.1 million.

The real estate tax alone nets nearly $10 million of its $14.3 million in annual revenue.

In other matters, township government said farewell to two commissioners and an administrative assistant. The administrative assistant, Carol Moser, worked for the township for 26 years before retiring at the beginning of the month.

This was the last meeting for Commissioners Chairman Arthur Murphy and Commissioner Jerry Batcha. Murphy was a commissioner for two terms before he was . Batcha served for three and decided not to run for re-election this year.