Commissioners approve tax increase
By MICAIAH WISE?BILGER Sentinel reporter mwise@lewistownsentinel.comMIFFLINTOWN - Taxes will go up for residents of Juniata County in 2009 after the board of commissioners approved a final budget for the county Tuesday.
The 2009 budget, including a 1 mill increase, passed in a 2-1 vote with Commissioner Teresa O'Neal casting a "no" vote. The approved 22.75 millage rate is a 4.6 percent increase from 2008.
The budget includes $1.7 million for courthouse renovation and approximately 4 percent salary increases for county non-union employees.
"Truthfully, I can't support this motion," O'Neal said, previously. "This board continues to disregard areas that we could cut costs. This board has used no sound logic (with) business decisions."
During Tuesday's meeting, O'Neal said the county received a letter from the state Department of Public Welfare informing them that it cut $42,374 in funds for the Juniata Valley Tri-county Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program, which includes Juniata, Mifflin and Huntingdon counties.
"It's a significant amount of money," O'Neal said. "Their explanation was a decrease in tax revenue in Pennsylvania. It affects a very significant population ... that needs our help at all levels."
Chairman Jeffrey Zimmerman agreed with O'Neal. Referring to the state in a somewhat sarcastic tone, he said, "It's nice to be able to pull out the rug from under folks when the situation demands."
"If the state met its obligations to the counties ... the (Juniata County) budget would look much different than it does today," Zimmerman said previously.
The funding cut may mean the county will have to increase revenues or cut programs, O'Neal said.
However, some programs are mandated by the state and cannot be cut, Zimmerman said.
"This is just the start of what we are going to see," O'Neal said.
The 2009 millage increase will generate approximately $215,000 in revenue for the county, Zimmerman said.
The budget is available for public review on the Juniata County Web site at www.co.juniata.pa.us.
Also during the meeting, the commissioners:
Approved an Open Records Right to Know Policy.
"While I am asking for adoption today, (the policy) will be a work in progress," Zimmerman said. "I am confident that we have a good open records policy."
The policy along with a public records request form will be available on the county Web site, O'Neal said.
Previously the commissioners approved Administrator/Chief Clerk G. Sherlyn Mosebey as the county's open records officer.
Approved applications for county aid submitted by Tuscarora Township for $3,390.82 for future use, Fayette Township for $7,212.06 for future use and Turbett Township for $1,234.25 for future use.
Approved Community Service Block Grant contracts through the Human Services Department.
The Juniata County Commissioners hold weekly public meetings at 10 a.m. Tuesdays in the Bousum Building, Main Street, Mifflintown.
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90smom
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12-31-08 4:41 PM
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It's quite obvious that farmerC & bigview220 have no idea how things work in County government. The Commissioners have no control over a big portion of the spending. I agree with WIZARD that a countywide reassessment should be done, but I also have no problem with some money being used toward the renovations, since our buildings are not in complete compliance with regulations. They probably weren't even in compliance back when the last renovations were done. One of the things Commissioner Zimmerman was going to do, or so he said, was a reassessment, since he was familiar with how "messed up" our assessment figures are. So far it appears he is doing nothing to accomplish that. The sooner it is done, the sooner it will reap more tax monies for the county, which should be the top priority. But like you said WIZARD, that makes too much sense!
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WIZARD
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12-31-08 12:44 PM
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The Commissioners need to take the money for court house renovations and apply it toward doing a county wide reassessment of properties but that makes to much sense so it wont happen
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bigview220
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12-31-08 10:41 AM
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It is very clear which commissioner has good business sense.I hope the voters will remember come next election. A 1.7 million price tag for court house renovations!?!? How about having several of the big local contractors (you know who they are) do some pro bono work for a change! Hard times call for creative thinking!
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farmerC
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12-31-08 8:26 AM
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Everyone is having problems to make ends meet. People are getting layed off everywhere. Our commissioners say there will be no tax increase one time and now they say there will be. Lay some of those non essential people off that work for the county. But I bet we would never hear of that. Give them a raise that is the solution.(not) I think we all should be looking real close at who we are putting into office next elections!
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