Marshall Approves 2013 Budget, Holds Off on Setting Millage Rate

While residents of Marshall Township have a new budget for 2013, the millage rate still is undecided.

At Monday’s supervisors meeting, officials approved a $5,395,857 spending plan for 2013, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

According to the PG, supervisors held off on setting the millage rate until they receive more information regarding Allegheny County’s real estate assessment appeals process.

On Monday, municipalities in Allegheny County were granted a deadline extension to adopt their 2013 budgets and set property tax rates. Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr. signed and issued the official court order extending the Dec. 31 deadline to Jan. 31. 

Robert Max Junker, solicitor for Bell Acres, has said the deadline was changed after lawyers raised issue on behalf of municipalities working to finalize budgets before the end of the year with uncertainty regarding property assessment appeals.  

“The judge recognized that people are being asked to develop budgets and set millage rates without the actual numbers,” Junker said.

Municipalities have the option to re-examine and modify their final millage rates no later than 10 days before 2013 tax bills are mailed in the spring, according to the court order.

Marshall Township’s current millage rate is 1.7 mills. Manager Neil McFadden said supervisors might again adopt that rate, which has remained unchanged for a decade, once the judge makes his ruling, the Post-Gazette reports.

Marshall Township Supervisors meet next at 7:15 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17 at the municipal building on Pleasant Hill Road in Wexford.

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