Trending
LEWISTOWN -- Property taxes will not increase under the 2024 county budget which was unanimously approved for display by the Mifflin County Commissioners at Thursday's public meeting.
The tentative spending plan, set at $37.47 million, is slated for final adoption at the Dec. 21 commissioner meeting.
"While formulating the budget, over everything else our number one goal is always to provide a budget that doesn't increase the tax burden on our citizens," Commissioner Mark Sunderland said. "This is my final year as a commissioner, and I am happy to go out with another tax increase-free budget."
Commissioner Rob Postal acknowledged the importance of sound business principles and the key role county staff members played in arriving at the final document.
"The 2024 budget is balanced as it needs to be. By following basic business principles, we have saved money and produced a fiscally prudent 2024 budget for the shareholders, who are the taxpayers, of this business," Postal said.
"The substantial support and cooperation of our department heads, fellow elected officials, and all the employees who work for the benefit of all us who live in Mifflin County is truly appreciated," Postal added.
Commissioner Kevin Kodish noted the county was able to avoid a negative feature many of today's county and school district budgets contain.
"We were able to balance the budget not just without a tax increase, but also without pulling from our reserve funds. Unfortunately, many counties and school districts are forced to use reserve funds or special federal resources (like Covid funds) in order to avoid a tax increase," Kodish said.
"This budget reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility and demonstrates a sensible approach to managing our county's finances. We have utilized cost cutting measures including personnel reorganization and adjustments, office space consolidation, and conservative expenditure practices to keep the county in a good financial position," Kodish added.
Personnel continues to be the biggest cost driver at the county and will continue to be in future years. Approximately $10.75 million of the annual budget - or nearly 30% - is attributable to wages and approximately $5.125 million is attributed to benefits - nearly 15% of the annual budget.
The County has worked closely with its community partner - Geisinger - to keep health care costs at manageable levels - a 3% increase - for both the county and its employees. Given the recent rise in costs across the board, the county needs to offer competitive benefits so the county can attract employees to fill vacancies created by workforce loss due to job movement or retirements.
Certain offices - such as the Children and Youth Department - continue to face staff shortages but continue to provide a valuable community service. Each year, the County refines its budgeting practices for employees on account of vacancies, turnover, and benefits cost projections, allowing the use of conservative estimates for personnel costs while attempting to avoid unintentional over-budgeting.
The County has positioned itself well for the coming years with regard to large capital projects. The disposition of the Green Avenue building, as well as the demolition and pending disposition of the F.W. Black Community Hospital sites have been key business decisions by the county in 2023 which provided one-time income and the removal of expenses from the yearly ledger.
By early 2024 the county will have replaced end-of-life HVAC units throughout the entire Main Courthouse, concluding a significant capital expenditure project over the last several years. Additionally, a significant replacement of the HVAC system at the Mifflin County Correctional Facility (MCCF) is in the process of being completed.
The County continues to plan and prepare to address short-term and long-term maintenance needs at both the Mifflin County Library and the Mifflin County Historic Courthouse. Both projects represent the largest upcoming capital projects for the County in the next several years.
Ultimately, the County has invested in, and the County building and grounds staff have implemented and executed, multiple capital projects that have helped reduce future building maintenance expenses, which can represent large, unexpected expenditures. Additionally, the 2024 budget contains $200,000 for additional long-term projects during the coming year, including an update of the County-wide Comprehensive Plan.
The full 2024 budget is on display from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Commissioners' Office of the Mifflin County Courthouse. A budget overview which highlights sources and uses of funds can be found online at the county's website (https://mifflinco.org ). The direct link is: https://mifflinco.org/getmedia/a51f1a47-d7cb-4c13-a93b-ea7880536603/2024-Budget-Chart-Worksheet.pdf.