LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Lower Saucon Township’s new council will meet 6:30 p.m. Thursday to reopen the township’s 2024 budget for further discussion.
The panel on Jan. 2. voted 3-1 to approve the upcoming meeting, with Councilman Jason Banonis opposing. Councilman Thomas Carocci was absent.
The $10.8 million spending plan was approved at the former council’s meeting on Dec. 6, 2023. It came with a real estate tax cut from 4.39 to 3.64 mills, while keeping the fire services tax at 0.75 of a mill.
'Egregious'
Councilman Jason Banonis said that since the township has more than $9 million in reserves, he found it “egregious” to “hoard” taxpayer money when the municipal finances are in good shape.
Banonis also referenced what he said were township parallels to Wolk vs. School District of Lower Merion, a case involving what was determined to be illegal budgeting that led to property tax hikes in that school district in Montgomery County.
The overseeing judge approved a $27 million total settlement for district taxpayers.
“In doing this, I think you’re inviting litigation on the township, and I think it’s a waste of taxpayer money to have a lawyer trying to defend an untenable position.”Lower Saucon Township councilman Jason Banonis
“In doing this, I think you’re inviting litigation on the township, and I think it’s a waste of taxpayer money to have a lawyer trying to defend an untenable position,” Banonis said.
Council President Priscilla deLeon said, “Per the township code, second-class code and per administrative code, newly elected officials have the right to open up the budget.
“And we’re exercising that right, the three of us.”
Further expenditures
Councilwoman Victoria Opthof-Cordaro said she had no interest in “collecting [taxpayer] money and putting it in a bank account.”
But she said she wanted another look at the finances considering more than $1 million in recent expenditures approved for a township ball field project, a recent vehicle addition to the fire force fleet and a potential new fire house — all while also the former council approved a property tax cut and had to pull from reserves to balance the new budget.
“If the [former] administration felt that reducing the tax millage was so important, I think they would have made that part of their initial budget proposal prior to the election,” Opthof-Cordaro said.
“If the [former] administration felt that reducing the tax millage was so important, I think they would have made that part of their initial budget proposal prior to the election.”Lower Saucon Twp. Councilwoman Victoria Opthof-Cordaro
The new budget lists major expenditures as police (33.1%), public works (17.3%), administration (4.9%), fire and EMS (3.9%), insurances (2.9%) as well as parks and library (2.9%).
Primary revenue sources are shown as earned income, local services and real estate transfer taxes (33.5%); landfill host fees (21.2%); and real estate taxes (15.4%).
The previously approved budget lists an estimated $2.3 million coming in from landfill host fees. That’s a $100,000 rise from 2023.
