5 Things to Know About the 2014 Macungie Budget

Macungie Borough Council adopted a 2014 budget Monday night that raises taxes to cover costs for capital improvements, according to an article in The Morning Call.

Here are five things you need to know about the 2014 Macungie budget, which can be reviewed on the borough website:

• The 2014 tax rate will be 3 mills, up from the current 2.5 mills. For a property assessed at $100,000, taxes will be $300 -- up about $50 from this year.
• The total 2014 general fund budget is $2.218 million, up from this year's total of $2.158 million.
• The capital improvements for which taxes needed to be increased, the Call says, include: convert the borough hall heating system from oil to natural gas; add generators to borough buildings; $83,000 interest payment on $1 million loan for reconstruction of Lumber and Cotton streets and possible traffic light at Church and Main streets.
• The main sources of revenue are: $653,731 from the property tax; $395,000 from .5 percent earned income tax; $277,838 from solid waste revenue, and $120,653 transfer from the general fund capital account.
• The sewer fund projects $661,213 in revenue versus $618,476 in spending. The biggest chunks of revenue are $550,000 from customer bills and a $100,000 beginning balance.