Douglass (Montgomery) Official IDs Fellow Supervisor As Subject Of D.A. Investigation

Location of Douglass Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

DOUGLASS TOWNSHIP (MONTGOMERY COUNTY) — The name of the township supervisor being investigated by Montgomery County Detectives was made public this week — by another supervisor.

At the May 19 board of supervisors meeting, Vice Chairman Anthony Kuklinski said publicly that fellow Supervisor Fred Ziegler is the subject of the county investigation first reported in the Feb. 25 edition of The Mercury.

In February, Township Solicitor Paul Bauer confirmed that the township had referred a matter concerning one of the elected supervisors to the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, but refused to name the supervisor.

Bauer did not return phone messages left at his office Thursday and Friday.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140523/douglass-mont-official-ids-fellow-supervisor-as-subject-of-da-investigation

Forks Township Supervisors Approve 13 Percent Tax Increase

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Property taxes will go up 13 percent next year in Forks Township.

Last week, the board of supervisors approved a budget that includes the tax increase and an additional $700,000 in expenditures.

The extra money will pay for new vehicles and equipment or repairs.

Finance Manager Jim Farley said vehicle prices continue to go up despite the economy. He estimated a new, fully loaded dump truck with a plow could cost $500,000 and a fire engine could cost as much as $2 million.

Read more: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf/2013/12/forks_township_supervisors_app_4.html

Limerick Township Budget To Fund More Police

Location of Limerick Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LIMERICK — Township residents will see their taxes increase slightly this year as the board of supervisors voted to approve the proposed budget with no changes.

Although taxes will increase 25 percent, as they did in 2012, the raise is actually less than half a mill.  The rate went from 1.516 mills to 1.895, meaning a property in the township assessed at $150,000 would have a year-total tax increase of $56.85.

The $8,010,752 budget was approved 3-1 at a Dec. 18 meeting.  Thomas J. Neafcy Jr. was the sole vote against the budget. Kenneth J. Sperring Jr. was not at the meeting, according to township manager Dan Kerr.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130103/NEWS01/130109881/limerick-township-budget-to-fund-more-police#full_story

Lower Providence’s Final 2013 Budget Adopted With No Tax Increase

Location of Lower Providence Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER PROVIDENCE — The final, $9,557,713 2013 budget was unanimously adopted Thursday night by the Board of Supervisors with no increase in the township’s 1.512 mill real estate tax rate.

For a homeowner with a home assessed at the township average of $167,022, the 1.512 mill tax rate translates into a township tax bill of $252.54.

The township will use the $730,023 fund balance from the 2012 budget to balance the 2013 budget, said Township Manager Richard Gestrich, when the preliminary budget was adopted in mid-November.  To give the township budget some operating capital while tax revenues are trickling into the township accounts during 2013, the board also approved transferring $425,000 from the unrestricted capital account.

“At the end of the budget year we will need the balance of the $425,000 to get through the end of the year,” Gestrich said.

Read more:   http://www.timesherald.com/article/20121221/NEWS01/121229902/lower-providence-s-final-2013-budget-adopted-with-no-tax-increase#full_story

Exeter Township Police Chief: ‘We’re At Bare Bones’

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Exeter Township Supervisor Dona L. Starr has dispelled fears that the township is considering reducing its police force to help balance the budget.

“There’s one, two, three, four board members who have never even mentioned laying off police officers,” Starr told a crowd of officers and police supporters at a special budget workshop meeting.  “I believe that the Exeter Township Police Department is the best in the county, and I want to keep it that way.  I’m not willing to lay off any officers.  I’m not willing to make any cuts.”

Starr’s comments at Wednesday’s meeting came after statements by Supervisor Kenneth A. Smith, who said he would not be opposed to reducing the police force to make up a $230,000 shortfall in the 2013 budget.

That number is down from an initial budget gap of about $400,000 in August.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=426255