Based on preliminary discussions, no tax hike is planned in the 2023 Salisbury Township budget.

“We don’t want to raise taxes,” Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus said at the board of commissioners’ Aug. 11 meeting workshop.

Ziegenfus presented a review of the 2023 budget timeline for commissioners and the public.

“We just completed our first meetings with all the department heads and received their requests and justifications,” Ziegenfus said.

Next, Ziegenfus said, he will next meet with Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich concerning the 2023 budget.

“We’ve been fairly good on the expenditure side,” Ziegenfus said, referring to the year 2022 in the township.

“On the plus side, we are doing better, higher on the transfer taxes,” Ziegenfus said. Transfer taxes generated approximately $200,000 to the plus.

Township taxes were increased in 2022 in Salisbury to generate funds for capital projects. Approximately $300,000 was set aside.

The $200,000 surplus generated by transfer taxes in 2022 is earmarked for the 2023 capital projects fund.

Ziegenfus estimated the township could save $300,000 over three years by accomplishing some capital projects in-house by the public works department.

“We have the manpower, the tools to do this and the vision to do this,” Ziegenfus said.

The target for a vote on the 2023 township budget is the Dec. 8 commissioners’ meeting.

A first draft of the 2023 township budget may be completed in time for the Sept. 22 township meeting.

Presentations on township department budgets are expected by department heads at upcoming commissioners’ meetings.

In the 2022 budget, the township millage increased from 2.42 mills to 2.92 mills.

The total rate was 2.92 mills or 29.2 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.

The township tax hike was, on average, $120 per property owner, or $10 per month, based on the township median residential property valuation of $235,000.

The tax rate for general township purposes was 2.57 mills on each $1 of assessed valuation or 25.7 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.

The tax rate for fire protection was 0.29 mills on each $1 of assessed valuation.

The tax rate for library services was 0.06 mills on each $1 of assessed valuation or 0.60 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.

The 2022 township budget had general fund expenditures of $11,077,907 and total expenditures of $21,821,909.

In 2022, the township water rate increased 35 cents from $7 to $7.35 per 1,000 gallons.

For a family using 20,000 gallons of water per quarter, the increase was $10 per quarter and $40 annually, or an average increase of $3 per month.

The water rate increase was a pass-along from the Lehigh County Authority.

In 2022, trash hauling and recycling rates did not increase.

In 2022, there was no change in the one percent tax levy on salaries, wages, commissions and other compensation earned by township residents and earned in the township by nonresidents.

In 2022, there was no change in the one percent tax levy on the transfer or conveying by deed or other document of land, tenements and inherited property in or partly in the township.

The next board of commissioners meeting is 7 p.m. Sept. 8, in the meeting room of the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

The Aug. 25 commissioners’ meeting is canceled.

The township planning commission is scheduled to meet 7 p.m. Aug. 24 in the municipal building.

The Aug. 17 environmental advisory council meeting is canceled.