Draft Budget Would Keep Township Taxes Flat

Newtown Township unveiled a draft budget for 2014 during a presentation Tuesday.

The proposed budget, presented by Township Manager Kurt Ferguson, retains the current millage rate at 2.5 mills. It includes $11.43 million in expenditures and keeps staffing at current levels.

If the budget is approved as presented, the township would have a fund balance of $1.63 million in 2014.

The largest expenditure is salaries and wages, which makes up nearly 35 percent of the budget proposal.

The proposed budget allocates $3.94 million for salaries and wages. That doesn’t include the fire chief salary, which is paid for from the Fire Protection Fund. 

The budget draft estimates the township will pay $1.3 million for employee health insurance. Pension and deferred compensation is estimated to cost $795,000 and township insurance is estimated to be $490,900. 

Township Board of Supervisors chairman Mike Gallagher said the budget will be continue to be discussed over the next several meetings.