No Tax Hike In Proposed 2021 Lower Merion Budget

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — Lower Merion Township officials Wednesday will hold the first public hearing on the proposed 2021 budget, which once again does not include a real estate tax increase.

The Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the budget.

Revenue in the budget is $62,385,900, which is a decrease of $3,662,950 or 5.5 percent compared to the 2020 Budget.

Expenditures are at $69,702,665, also a decrease from 20202 sitting at $1,051,793 or 1.5 percent of last year's budget.

The 2021 budget expenditures exceed revenue by $7,316,765. Officials said this requires a planned
budgeted drawdown of fund balance to balance operating revenue with expenditures.

There is no change to the real estate tax millage rate, which sits at 4.19 mills. If the budget passes as it stands, it will mark 10 years of no real estate tax increases in the township.

Residents can see the full proposed budget online here.

Residents can participate in the meeting by emailing publiccomment@lowermerion.org, by phone to 610-645-6145. Comments will be accepted until noon Wednesday.

Additionally, residents who want to participate via Zoom during the meeting should contact Township Secretary Jody Kelley at 610-645-6145 or publiccomment@lowermerion.org before noon Wednesday.

The meeting will be available live on the township’s government access channel LMTV, available on Comcast Cable Channel 7 and Verizon FiOS Channel 37, as well as online here.

A second hearing on the proposed Budget will be held at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

The board is slated to adopt the budget on DEc. 16.