Preliminary Yardley budget holds line on tax

Yardley Borough residents will likely not have to absorb a municipal property tax hike next year.
“We don’t anticipate a tax increase for 2022,” borough Manager Paula Johnson said in presenting a first draft preliminary budget to council at its Sept. 21 meeting.
“This is very preliminary. We have some work to do but we think it’s a good start.”
If the no-increase provision holds when council approves a final 2022 budget, property tax millage in the $2 million spending plan will remain at 30. That means a resident with a property assessed at the borough average of $27,644 would continue paying $829 a year in municipal property taxes. Yardley does not have an earned income tax. Residents who own real estate in the borough also pay property taxes to the Pennsbury School District and Bucks County.
“It’s going to change quite a bit,” council President David Bria said of the draft preliminary budget. “We’re still looking at how those rescue funds can be allocated. We’re still working on a complete document that’s ready for presentation.”

Council Vice President and General Government Committee Chairwoman Caroline Thompson wrote in an email after the meeting that the borough is eligible for up to $236,138 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
“Expenses the borough may already have incurred in erosion remediation projects, the North Main sidewalk project and floodplain management projects could be partially funded through ARPA funds,” Thompson stated.
“That might free up general fund monies for other borough projects. First on the list would be an upgraded audio/video system for borough hall.”
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted borough finances over the last 18 months, Thompson added.
“We experienced a 50K deficit in 2020,” she wrote. “Projects delayed due to Covid are all hitting the budget in 2022. Further, construction costs and supply chain issues have impacted our ability to complete projects on budget and on schedule.”

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