No tax increase planned in Nesquehoning

Nesquehoning residents should expect to see their borough taxes stay the same in 2020, but may pay a little more in their monthly sanitation bill.

During Wednesday’s borough council meeting, council adopted its preliminary budget, which calls for no increase, keeping the total millage to 18.55.

That means that a $100,000 home assessed at $50,000 will again pay the same amount in real estate taxes as in 2019.

The breakdown for the $1,875,690.65 spending plan calls for 16.5 mills going to the general fund, 1.75 mills going to fire protection and 0.3 mills going to recreation.

Councilman Frank Jacobs announced that the tentative budget will be reviewed by the committee before final adoption at council’s December meeting.

In related budget matters, council took no action to adopt the sanitation budget, which includes a $10 a month increase for the sanitation bill after questions about whether or not the borough should get out of its new recycling contract arose.

Councilwoman Rosemary Porembo said that even if the recycling program was ended, the borough still must raise the monthly fee because expenses in sanitation, including an increase in the contract to $387,385, as well as increases in administrative expenses; health, life and workers’ compensation insurances and other fees still are larger than what the borough would have to use if they kept the monthly fee at $45.

Councilwoman Mary Fox, who voted for recycling, said she is not in favor of the increase, but the reality is, based on the figures, is that is must be done to meet the bills.

Council members Frank Jacobs and Michael Radocha voiced their displeasure of having recycling in the borough. Both Jacobs and Radocha voted no for recycling earlier this year when council entered into a new sanitation contract.

The lengthy discussion about whether or not the recycling was to blame ended in council delaying the vote until a later time.