Emmaus property owners will be paying less in taxes next year than they paid this year.
The overall tax assessment is going down, said borough manager Shane Pepe, adding residents will see an average net decrease in their assessments of $18 to $21.
Everyone will be coming out ahead, according to Pepe.
The 2015 budget totals $13.2 million, which he said is unchanged from this year’s budget.
The property tax assessment is going up by about $8 because of a 1/12th-of-a-mill increase in the fire fund, said Pepe.
But trash hauling assessments will decrease by $25 a year for residents and by even more for businesses.
The borough manager indicated the fire fund is increasing because of legal costs relating to Emmaus firefighters trying to unionize, “plus the anticipated costs to negotiate with the union for their contract.”
Pepe said the borough’s new hauler, J.P. Mascaro & Sons, will be picking up trash once a week, beginning Jan. 1.
Mascaro won a three-year contract with Emmaus back in June. Pepe noted some residents are unhappy because trash no longer will be collected twice a week, but he indicated the quality of service will not diminish.
Mascaro will replace Raritan Valley, the borough’s current trash hauler.
Pepe explained businesses in Emmaus will pay $87 less for trash and home-based businesses will pay the same amount paid by residents.
Council unanimously approved setting the 5.1565 millage rate for 2015 taxes with no discussion during its meeting Monday night.
Later in the meeting, when council actually adopted the 2015 budget, council member Wesley Barrett said there had no been much discussion about that budget, but added: “It’s noteworthy. Borough council achieved something we haven’t done in the nine years I’ve been here.
“We’re actually collectively reducing the tax bill to the residents.”
Council member Brian Holtzhafer corrected Barrett, saying: “We’re increasing the tax bill. We’re decreasing the amount of money residents have to pay, but we’re not decreasing their tax bill.”
Said Barrett: “We’re decreasing the amount that they pay — which is the part that they are more interested in —between $19 and $21.”
He continued: “That’s very noteworthy. It shows the interest of this council towards the residents.”
Barrett said the 2015 budget includes funds to do some projects and to acquire some long-overdue equipment.
Council member Brent Labenberg said the borough’s “cash carryover” was minimal in the last couple of budget years, but now is up.
Pepe said it is between $600,000 and $700,000.
Pepe said the year he became borough manager in 2012, the carryover was at just $24,000.
Labenberg said council also is moving in the right direction by paying off borough debt and not taking on any additional debt. “Hopefully by 2021sh, this borough will be debt-free,” he said.
Council member Roy Anders praised Pepe, who started the 2015 budget process on July 1, for his countless hours working on the budget.
“Without this man, we probably wouldn’t be in such a good position,” said Anders.
Pepe said he put council through 15 hours of budget workshops and commended its members for “not just putting in your time, but being engaged and understanding. You understand what’s behind the creation of a municipal budget.”
He added: “With most councils, my experience has been ‘just show us the numbers’.”
He also commended borough department heads, saying: “They were here for every hour of those meetings. It was a team effort, right down to the department employees who are contributing their part to try to help with the budget.”
Other business
Also during its meeting, council gave initial approval to make Landis Circle one way. Residents living along that C-shaped street off South Second Street petitioned council to make that change.
That petition was signed by 11 residents, said Anders.
Pepe said final approval to make Landis Circle a one-way street will take place at council’s second meeting in January.
Council informally rejected a request to waive fees for use of a baseball field, which came from the Lehigh Valley Adult Baseball League.
Anders said the fee is $40 a game. The league plans to play nine games in Emmaus, meaning it will pay a total of $360.
Pepe said the league asked for either a waiver or a reduced fee.
“You have a bunch of grown men paying $40 for four or five hours of baseball,” said Pepe. “I don’t think that’s unreasonable.”
“Why have fees if we’re going to eliminate them?” asked Labenberg.
Holtzhafer suggested offering the league a discounted fee, so it still is enticed to play in Emmaus.
Holtzhafer made a motion to offer the league a rate of $300 for nine games, calling it “a minor discount.” His motion died for lack of a second.
Pepe said borough crews have the expense of raking and cleaning the ball field after games.
Council approved a new contract with the Sanctuary at Haafsville in Upper Macungie Township to assist with stray animals.
“Their fee is essentially the same,” Pepe told council.
Council also unanimously approved a new fee schedule for parking tickets, with no public discussion regarding which fees will increase and by how much .
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