PAINT —
Paint Township expects to raise taxes 6 mills next year to help cover financial struggles, board members said Tuesday.
It’s a move that would tack hundreds of dollars onto the typical annual township tax bill, but supervisor’s say figures provided by their accounting firm indicate the increase is necessary if they are to produce a balanced 2013 budget.
“Our (Barnes and Saly) accountants are telling us this is what we need to do to get us back in order,” Supervisor Dave Blough said, adding
that 4 mills would be designated for debt service. “It’s part of our recovery plan.”
The increase would boost millage from 8 mills to 14 – and add $300 to the average annual property tax bill for a Paint Township property owner who now pays $400 yearly, township officials said.
But at a time when a cash crunch has forced the board to lay off workers and has threatened closure of the police force, the township needs to show that it can generate more revenue to convince area banks to lend funds to pay off bills and growing township debt, Supervisor Joe Huff said.
News of the probable tax increase prompted some residents to scold the board for putting further hardship on taxpayers, saying many are older and on fixed incomes.
“All because of your mistakes,” said Joe Cominsky, one of about 45 residents who attended Tuesday’s meeting.
Others, such as resident Paul Henger, worried the levy won’t be enough.
Paint Township has spent more than $229,000 more than it has generated since 2009, which has left the township a six-figure shortage this year, audit reports show.
Supervisors say the township is nearly out of cash, which led to this month’s layoffs for most of the road crew, a clerk and police Chief Rick Skiles, who continues to oversee the department at no pay.
The township has kept its regional force on the streets, partly through advances from Windber Borough, which stipulated the board could use the funds only for police and would have to replace its treasurer, Andy Tvardzik.
Tvardzik turned in a resignation letter. He now serves as board vice chairman, with Blough taking his place as treasurer.
But Tvardzik remained on the hot seat, sitting silently while a group of residents urged him to resign from the supervisors board itself. They blamed him for $160,000 in cost overruns from the township building expansion project last year.
Tvardzik defended himself Tuesday, saying the project came in higher than expected and that hurdles in obtaining financing delayed the project until bid offers expired. Low bidders then added 10 percent to their offers, boosting the price tag again.
“It was still lower than the next closest offers,” he said.
Tvardzik also was chastised by residents during a discussion about zoning Tuesday, saying a business wouldn’t move to Paint because of worries of “(expletive) trash.”
“Shame on you for (cursing), Andy,” one resident yelled.
In other developments:
• Windber was given a two-month extension to decide whether it wants to continue receiving police protection from the township in 2013.
The current contract gives both parties until Sept. 30, but Borough Manager Fred Oliveros said council needs time to see what developments occur in Paint before making a decision.
• Paint’s supervisors, at residents’ requests, voted to change their Tuesday monthly meetings from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m to give more residents a chance to attend.
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