SEVEN FIELDS — Borough council is considering a one-mill tax increase along with increases in public safety spending in its budget for 2027.

Figures as presented at council’s Monday, Oct. 26, meeting show borough leadership proposes a 9.87% increase in spending for 2027 while maintaining a budget surplus. This would be an increase to $1.97 million from $1.793 million in expenditures for 2026.

According to borough manager Thomas Smith, one mill would bring in nearly $36,000 additional revenue. Patty Holman, Seven Fields’ tax collector, estimated the cost would average out to $33 per property owner.

“I understand that nobody likes to raise taxes or rates. It’s been 16 years. Everything has gone up. Hopefully it will be another several-plus years before we have to do it again,” Smith said.

After years of keeping millage rates flat, the presentation claimed an increase is needed to offset unexpected expenses from prior years, as well as increasing costs of public safety expenses and government needs.

Under the proposed budget, the borough would see a 6.2% increase in its funding for the Northern Regional Police Department, bringing its total contribution to $762,235. The borough would also see a 6% increase in its funding for the Adams Area Fire District, bringing its total to $79,235.

The budget also proposes a contribution of $50,785 toward Quality EMS, which formally agreed to a four-year deal in August to provide emergency medical services to Seven Fields. The annual contribution is calculated at roughly $35 per residence, per year. However, Quality EMS fees will be a line item, and not directly passed on to residents, council members said.

According to the presentation, Seven Fields’ spending on police and fire have roughly doubled over the past decade. In 2016, the borough spent $346,200 on the Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department. It now plans to put $762,000 toward Northern Regional in 2027.

Funding for the Adams Area Fire District has increased from $33,150 to $79,235 over the same time period.

The proposed budget includes $300,000 for relocating a water line underneath the area where Route 228 would be widened under current proposals. The borough hopes for 75% of those costs to be reimbursed by PennDOT.

The Route 228 project hit a snag when it failed to be selected for limited funding from a federal INFRA grant. Despite this, local officials are pushing forward with planning and searching for project funds.

“We’ve all read in the newspaper about the funding for Route 228, that they’re $50-100 million short. But that project is going to come to fruition sooner than later,” Smith said. “We have a water line in the road expansion right of way and we have to move it.”

“It’s better for us to move it now. Labor costs, material costs are going to go up. We are working … trying to make sure, if we can, to get as much reimbursement as possible,” he added.

Other spending includes $50,000 for Seven Fields’ MS4 stormwater maintenance program, which is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; $30,000 for the renovation of Seven Fields’ council chambers; $15,000 for the purchase of a new backstop for the Seven Fields ballfield and $35,000 for Seven Fields’ water distribution system leak detection equipment.

The borough is also earmarking dollars for purchasing new dump trucks and other equipment, while planning to submit grant applications for items such as the ballfield backstop, as well as $50,000 in traffic calming grants.

According to the borough’s presentation, just over 47% of spending would go toward public safety, 13.8% would go toward public works and 19.4% would go toward clerical operations.

The borough has to approve its budget by the end of the calendar year.