Falls Holds Taxes at 1992 Rate

The last time Falls Township raised taxes Bill Clinton was President, a gallon of gas cost $1.05 and the average cost of a new home was $122,500.

While housing costs and most, if not all, other expenses have increased over the last 25 years, the fiscally responsible Falls Township Board of Supervisors on Monday voted unanimously to adopt its $81.8 million budget on Monday. The 2017 proposed spending plan again holds the line on taxes.

Since 2014, Falls Township’s millage rate has been 7.22. The 7.22 mill tax rate represents the lowest tax millage rate the township has had since the 1992 budget was passed, according to Finance Director Betsy Reukauf.

Property owners will continue paying $216.60 for an average assessment of $30,000 under the township’s 2017 budget. The owner of the average Bristol Township property, by comparison, pays $1,036.40 in local taxes.

Falls is able to maintain its services – and offer trash and leaf pickup free of charge – without instituting an Earned Income Tax, as many other towns have done.

Falls Township has the lowest tax rate as compared to Lower Makefield, Bensalem, Northampton, Lower Southampton, Middletown and Bristol townships.

Of the local taxes collected from Falls Township property owners, the township receives 3.76 percent – less than 4 cents per every dollar – while Pennsbury School District collects 83.2 percent and Bucks County receives 12.10 percent.

Supervisors Chairman Bob Harvie credited township staff, including Reukauf and Township Manager Peter Gray with ensuring a smooth budget process and a spending plan without a tax increase.

“The more talented people you have around you certainly makes it much easier,” Harvie said.

Despite receiving only a small fraction of taxes collected throughout the township, Falls elected officials have worked hard to do more with less, year after year. Since 2012, the township has seen its pension obligation double from $1.3 million in 2012 to a projected $2.6 million in 2017 – all while the state contributions have remained relatively flat at $621,200.

For 2017, $15 million in construction costs have been budgeted for the proposed new township building.

With an eye on constantly improving motorist travel, the spending plan also earmarks more than $2 million for a variety of roadway and intersection improvements, as well as construction.

Full-depth road reconstruction is planned for Walton Drive (from Elbow Lane to Lions Drive) while engineering and design work is budgeted for some township roads in Hedgerow Woods. The project also includes milling and overlay of Mill Creek Parkway eastbound, Makefield Turn, Laura Way, Lesha Drive, Andrew Drive and Rice Drive (from Lesha Drive to Andrew Drive).

In addition, the budget provides $40,000 for mill and overlay projects on Virga Avenue, Beverly Avenue and Oak Lane. The township will save approximately $150,000 on intersection improvements at Levittown and Mill Creek parkways thanks to a matching PennDOT Green Light GO grant.

Police purchases totaling $470,579 is budgeted for vehicles, computer equipment, firearms training and supplies and various other equipment.

The installation of LED lights has saved the township more than 30 percent on the cost of its street lights, Reukauf said. Some of the funds previously earmarked for street lights have been redistributed to the park and recreation department.