SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — South Whitehall Township residents will see property and income taxes rise next year after township commissioners approved its 2026 budget Wednesday.
South Whitehall’s general purpose real estate tax will stay at 2.84975 mills, but its fire tax will rise from 0.47 of a mill to 0.75 of a mill.
Township officials expect the higher rate will raise $2.89 million next year to support its volunteer fire departments and eventually replace their older fire trucks.
“I’m specifically grateful for the planning that's been done to fund our fire apparatus moving forward for the next 10 years, and grateful that we will have those needs provided for with a designated fire tax increase. It's something this township has never planned long term for, and it's a critical public safety need.”South Whitehall Commissioners Chairwoman Diane Kelly
“I’m specifically grateful for the planning that's been done to fund our fire apparatus moving forward for the next 10 years, and grateful that we will have those needs provided for with a designated fire tax increase,” Commissioners Chairwoman Diane Kelly.
“It's something this township has never planned long term for, and it's a critical public safety need.”
In all, the township will levy a 3.59975 mill property tax next year, which amounts to a $1,323 tax bill for a South Whitehall home valued at $350,000 for tax purposes.
New open space tax
Township residents also will see a new 0.1% tax on income to fund open space preservation projects, a measure voters approved overwhelmingly in last month’s election.
Though water and trash service rates will not change next year in the township, sewer fees will rise 4%.
As of Jan. 1, residences charged a flat rate for sewer service will pay $132.64 per quarter. Starting on April 1, businesses and residents with metered sewer service will pay $38 per quarter plus $5.17 per 1,000 gallons of use.
In all, South Whitehall’s 2026 budget calls for $21.9 million of general fund spending, a 1.7% increase over last year’s budget.
Township staff also planned to spend a further $29.9 million through its dedicated capital, fire, water debt and other funds.
The new budget marks the township’s first using zero-based budgeting, a strategy where no line items automatically carry over from one year to the next.
Instead of considering increases or decreases from the prior year, officials re-evaluate each program’s funding anew.
“This year couldn't have been timed better to go down a zero-based approach,” South Whitehall Finance Director Tricia Dickert said, citing rules from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board set to take effect next year.
“Zero-based in 2026 apparently, so GASB says, was the way to go,” Dickert said.
