Tax Hike Could Have Doubled In Horsham Township

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —It could have been double.

While the Horsham Township Council unanimously approved a $21.4 million municipal budget at its final meeting of the year last Wednesday, Township Manager Bill Walker said the tax hike was originally proposed as double the amount that was passed on to residents.

The 2024 municipal spending plan of $21,478,267 raises taxes by 0.75 mills to 2.23 mills from the current rate of 1.48 mills.

For the 2024 tax hike, a resident of a home assessed at the township average of $183,001 would pay about $139 more in taxes, raising their municipal tax bill to $408.09.

"Most neighboring communities are raising taxes," Walker said. "We still have one of the lowest real estate taxes."

But Walker said that the tax increase would have been $274.50 had the township not taken some measures to keep the increase —the biggest for township residents since 1989 —at the lowest possible.

Walker said that revenue brought in by the township is not keeping up with cost increases or inflation.

"The pandemic’s impact is hitting us strong,’’ Walker said.

The pandemic forced employees to work from home, meaning that many township office parks were abandoned, thus reducing the township’s earned income tax from 60 percent of the general fund to 50 percent.

He also said the occupancy rate in the township’s office park was at 90 percent before the pandemic. It now stands at 60 percent.

The township transferred $500,000 from the capital reserve fund to prevent the tax hike from doubling.

The township also is not funding six jobs: a police officer, administrative secretary, police department clerk, finance clerk, special events coordinator, and seasonal public works employees.

Of the 2.23 millage, 0.84 mills ($153.72) goes to the general fund, 0.47 mills ($86.01) to the library, 0.60 mills ($109.80) for fire service, and 0.32 mills ($58.56) for township parks.