Homeowners in Newtown Township could face a 178 percent increase in property taxes if a proposed 2021 budget is approved.
At its Wednesday meeting, the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to request that Township Manager Micah Lewis come up with an alternative budget that only increases property taxes by 40 percent.
"I voted against this 'do over' primarily because I thought it was a waste of the Manger's time," Supervisor John Mack said. "More than likely the new version will not include what I consider necessary improvements in services for residents."
TAKE MY SURVEY: What Would You Cut From the Proposed 2021 Newtown Township Budget?
There's a lot of pressure on Supervisors to keep #NewtownPA taxes low. Even with a 3 mil increase as proposed by this budget, our municipal tax millage rate is still lower than most neighboring towns and boroughs.
The new taxes are to cover fire services and for a loan to upgrade street lights to LEDs and for a pedestrian safety project on Newtown-Yardley Rd.
Of course, there will be pressure to lower the increase in propose taxes and my fear is that the debt service tax will be top of the list to eliminate. This, in my opinion, would be a mistake. Brighter LED lights not only save money, they can be adjusted to be brighter, which is a crime deterrent where needed. And the pedestrian safety initiative can save lives.