The Cranberry Eagle
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 Article published November 13, 2012

Cranberry budget holds line on taxes
Sewer, garbage fees stay same

Bob Schultz
Cranberry Eagle

CRANBERRY TWP — The township unveiled its 2013 budget Tuesday. The spending plan holds the line on property taxes while the water rate as well as sewer and garbage fees are unchanged.
The property tax rate is proposed to remain at 13 mills for 2013.
Some recreation program fees, including those at North Boundary Water Park and greens fees at Cranberry Highlands Golf Course, are expected to rise slightly.
The supervisors will vote on the preliminary budget at their meeting Tuesday and are expected to approve a final version in December.
A copy of the budget will be posted on the township’s website next week after the supervisors’ vote.
The $17.2 million general fund operating budget is up slightly from this year’s $16.4 million.
Separate operating budgets for sewer and water, garbage, swimming pool and the golf course total $33.2 million, also up from this year’s $28.9 million. Those revenues are generated from user fees.
Vanessa Gleason, Cranberry’s director of finance, said the township is projecting about a 5 percent increase in revenue and a 4 percent increase in expenditures in next year’s general operating fund.
Cranberry Manager Jerry Andree said the proposed budget supports the commitment to current services while continuing an aggressive infrastructure program.
“What’s in store of 2013? The same policies and initiatives that have created one of the most desirable communities to live, work and play in the state, only doing it more efficiently and smarter,” said Andree.
Some of the projects include the completion of a new main sewage collection line, waterline upgrades, North Boundary Waterpark rehabilitation work, Municipal Center renovations, Playtime Palace replacement, road and bridge upgrades, a new EMS headquarters behind the Park Fire Station, improvements to the Route 228 corridor and planning for the expansion of the sewage treatment plant.
The last property tax increase was last year, when Cranberry raised the rate by 2.35 mills. Prior to that, a tax increase had last occurred eight years earlier.