LEWISBURG -- East Buffalo Township residents are projected to pay an average $60 more in real estate taxes next year based on a $3.7 million preliminary spending plan unveiled Monday by the township supervisors.

The proposed 2009 budget represents a 0.3-mill tax hike, or roughly a $200,000 increase, from the 2008 budget. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a home's assessed value.

Lawson Fetterman, supervisor chairman, said most of the projected increase is attributed to concerns over how much less the township may receive from the state in highway aid and increases in health care premiums and staff salaries, which include a full-time police department.

Fetterman said the township also is budgeting 0.1-mill for its impending building project, which initial estimates say could cost up to $3 million to design and construct. Funding for the project and other routine annual increases will require another tax increase in 2010, according to Fetterman.

"(One-third) of the tax increase will go directly into the capital fund to be used specifically for the proposed building project," he said. "The other 0.2-mill increase is to cover ourselves for increases in health care, wages and hopefully make up for what we may not get in highway funds. I can almost guarantee we'll see a similar tax increase in our next budget."

The proposed 2009 budget also calls for $170,000 for the street and light fund, $90,000 for the hydrant-water fund and $1,000 for fire protection. None of the assessed millage for those funds represents an increase from 2008, according to Fetterman, who said the township expects to receive $76,000 from the state in highway aid.

Among highlighted budget items for 2009 are $960,000 for public safety, $764,850 for road service and maintenance and $69,695 for recreation. Those totals are slight increases from the current year, according to the proposed plan.

Last winter, the supervisors approved a $3.5 million budget with a 0.2-mill increase.

The preliminary 2009 budget is available for public review in the township municipal office, 589 Fairground Road, through Dec. 22, when the supervisors expect to adopt a final spending plan.

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