Falls Township will maintain its current municipal tax rate in 2025, while continuing the same high-quality services residents have come to appreciate.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Falls Supervisors unanimously adopted its 2025 budget. The 2025 spending plan will hold the line on the current 8.97 millage rate.
Under the budget, property owners would continue to pay $269.10 for an average assessment of $30,000 under the township’s 2025 budget. The owner of a similarly assessed Bristol Township property, by comparison, paid $1,059.40 in local taxes for 2024, while the owner of a similarly assessed Northampton Township home paid $1,415.
Unlike neighboring communities, Falls residents are not assessed for trash and leaf pickup.
Even with keeping taxes flat, the township is planning several upgrades in 2025. Falls has earmarked $100,000 to replace the 15-year-old slide at Pinewood Pool and $70,000 for improvements at Elderberry Park and Mill Creek Manor Park.
The 2025 spending plan reduces the reliance on host community fees from $16.8 million in 2019 to $7 million for 2025, according to Finance Director Betsy Reukauf.
Reukauf said $10 million is estimated to be collected in 2025 from the EIT.
For decades, Falls officials have worked hard to do more with less. For every $1 paid in taxes, Falls Township receives just 4 cents. Yet, year after year the township sees spiraling pension contribution increases. Over the last decade, the township has seen its pension obligation nearly triple. Pension contributions surged from $1.3 million in 2012 to $2.6 million in 2017, with nearly $3 million projected for next year, all while the state contributions have remained relatively flat.
Even with holding the line on taxes the township is planning a number of capital projects for 2025, including culvert improvements at South Olds Boulevard, Rice Drive and Falls Township Community Park. In addition, repairs are planned for Martins Creek, as well as drainage upgrades at Briaroot Lane. Mill and overlay projects planned for next year include Cedar Lane, Corbin Lane and East Tyburn Road.
In all, $48,871,695 is projected to be spent in 2025.
