HARRISVILLE — Borough council will hold a public hearing on the adoption of a local services tax at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29 in the Harrisville borough building.

The hearing was set during a workshop of council members Dave Evans, Mary Anne Hughes and Will McCoy on Monday, Nov. 20.

If implemented, the tax would go into effect on Jan. 1. People who work in Harrisville would pay $1 a week, or $52 a year.

In a public notice, borough clerk Doug Cook stated the anticipated revenue for the local services tax would be about $14,000 for the 2024 tax year.

Twenty-five percent of the revenue would go to fire and emergency services, McCoy said. The rest would go to the general fund.

Council also discussed the possibility of raising property taxes. Evans said property taxes in the borough have not increased in about 15 years.

If approved on Dec. 4, the increase would increase property taxes in 2024 from 11.5 mills to 16.5 mills. One mill is equal to $1 in property tax, which is levied per $1,000 of a property's assessed value.

A discussion with residents will take place at the next meeting, Evans said. Council will also further discuss whether the tax could be implemented in 2024 or 2025.

“People show up, and we can have a conversation,” Evans said.

According to McCoy, raising the property tax was not a matter of “if, but when.”

“We’re in make-up mode,” McCoy said regarding the budget deficit. “There’s too much money going out and not enough going in.”

Hughes expressed concern about the proposed millage increase.

“There are some people that are really strapped,” she said. “This is not a high-income municipality.”