Butler Council Preparing Budget for Introduction

The is aiming for its regular borough council meeting on March 20 to be when it debuts its municipal budget for 2012, according to the borough’s Chief Financial Officer James Kozimor.

“We’ve completed our committee-level meetings on the 2012 budget,” Kozimor told the council members at a work session meeting Tuesday night.

Kozimor stated that, as of right now, the borough’s tentative budget is coming in around $22,000 below the state-mandated 2 percent tax levy cap. Kozimor expects that number to change to approximately $30,000 below the tax levy cap when all is said and done. The total budget as currently presented is $10,148,498.

“(We’re) about $22,000 (under the cap) at this point with a couple more figures that need to be calculated,” Kozimor said.

Despite being under the cap, there is still going to be a raise in taxes throughout the borough if the budget is approved, he said. On the average assessed home in the borough, which is estimated to be worth about $251,000, property taxes are expected to rise $78 for the year.

Of that projected $78, $10 will be due to the lack of ratables in the borough, $25 can be attributed to a projected $70,000 increase in debt service costs in 2012 and the remainder to a projected decrease in revenues and increase in varying appropriations.

The borough is aware that it needs to increase revenues from sources such as court fees, permanent fees and construction projects going forward, but is still pleased with its ability to put together what it believes is a solid budget.

“(Decreased revenues are) putting pressure on the revenue side of budget, but we’re still able to put a balanced budget together,” Kozimor said.

Added Butler Mayor Bob Alviene, “This is commendable at this stage of the game. We’ve checked around at the other municipalities and I don’t think they’re even close to this.”

Most importantly, the council seems satisfied with its willingness and ability to put the borough’s taxpayers first in 2012.

“The main thing is we’re under cap,” Councilman Bob Fox said.