The prospect of a real estate tax reduction might be welcomed by many Seven Fields residents. However, it would be wise for them to temper their enthusiasm based on what might be ahead in the broader picture.

Looking at that broader landscape, they might agree that a slightly lower tax bill next year and possibly beyond might not be in their long-term best interests.

On the horizon remains the costly uncertainty over whether the borough should establish its own police department rather than contract for police protection from Cranberry Township or another municipality or municipalities.

The borough's current police contract with Cranberry, scheduled to expire at the end of this year, was extended Monday for another year to give the borough more time to consider its law enforcement options for the future. Under terms of the extension, the borough will continue to pay 8 percent of Cranberry's police budget, which will amount to about $293,000 for the coming year.

Seven Fields has been shopping around for other police protection opportunities because of its growing financial obligation under the 8-percent-of-police-budget agreement with the township. With Cranberry's increase in population and the continuing inflow of new business enterprises, police protection has had to be expanded to meet the increased challenge that that growth presents.

That, in turn, has increased the size of the police budget.

For Seven Fields, Cranberry police typically handle 500 to 600 calls a year, most of which are traffic-related or non-emergency incidents. Discussion to date among Seven Fields officials has projected — if the borough were to opt to start its own department — a police force consisting of a full-time police chief, a part-time assistant chief and four part-time patrol officers.

Tom Smith, Seven Fields manager, said Monday that he would ask for $300,000 under the 2009 borough budget to be targeted for police department start-up, if the council next year were to opt not to continue contracting out police protection.

However, it's not unrealistic to think that the start-up cost could exceed $300,000, and having an additional revenue cushion would help in that endeavor.

By keeping the real estate tax at its current level for next year, the borough would be in a better financial position for police department start-up and for reducing potential pressure on the 2010 budget.

A 1-mill 2009 tax reduction Smith envisions — to 6 mills from 7 — would not be a windfall for property owners but would provide a meaningful sum if a police force received the borough council's go-ahead.

Seven Fields 2009 budget talks are slated to get under way at the council's next meeting. Council members, at that time, should weigh a tax reduction against the benefits of keeping the tax rate unchanged.

Some communities that have reduced taxes — sometimes for purely political reasons — were sorry soon afterward because of unanticipated expenses or a shortfall in projected incoming revenue.

It's better to keep taxes unchanged when the possibility of big expenses looms, rather than reduce taxes and then require a bigger tax increase a couple of years later.