No Tax Increase In 2024 Proposed Warminster Budget

WARMINSTER, PA —Read his slides: There will be no tax increase in the 2024 township municipal budget.

Finance Director John Ramey posted one slide with that statement at the beginning of his budget presentation to the Warminster Township Supervisors and he repeated it at the end to a round of applause at Thursday night's meeting.

"This is all good news," Ramey said. It's such good news that the township will transfer $3 million from its general fund to put toward capital improvement projects.

It will be the third straight year without a tax increase. Township Supervisors Chairman Kenneth Hayes said taxes were raised by a half mill in 2021 due to the township having a $2.5 million deficit.

"In four years, we went from facing bankruptcy with a lot of things that needed work," Vice Chairwoman Kathy Frescatore said. "We tightened our belts and brought in the right management. We have the best finance director ever (Ramey) and the best township manager ever (Township Manager Tom Scott). You're all doing a phenomenal job. We should give ourselves a big hand."

The proposed budget is 24.06 mills with 14 mills devoted to the general fund.

The budget includes $17,048 million for revenues and $17.048 million for expenses, as Ramey stated, "a balanced budget."

For the average home assessed at $26,500, residents pay $638 a year in municipal taxes or $53 a month. Bucks County has not conducted a reassessment since 1972.

The county tax bill is projected at $674 while the tax for the Centennial School District is $4,228, 76 percent of a resident's overall tax bill.

Ramey pointed out that this was the first year the township was also putting together a line item for full-time fire service after the addition of three full-time firefighters in September.

On the local level, residents receive services from the police, fire and ambulance, the library, public works, the parks system, and local government.

"Congratulations to all the staff in Warminster," Hayes said. "Every department has grabbed an oar and is rowing in the same direction. I'm thrilled. I'm really proud of the job here."

The budget will be voted on at the supervisors' Dec. 14 meeting.