LAWRENCE COUNTY Proposal contains tax increase

The owner of a $51,000 property will pay an extra $17 next year.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County property owners can expect to dig a little deeper into their wallets next year.
The 2002 county budget is expected to have a 2-mill increase when it's adopted Dec. 31. Commissioners introduced the $22.2 million spending plan Tuesday afternoon.
"This is a very lean budget," Commissioner Ed Fosnaught said.
Charleen Micco, chief county clerk and administrator, said the tax increase, which will go to the general operating fund, is partially because of a decrease in investment revenue and because less money is being carried over from the 2001 budget.
Last year, county officials had about $1.5 million that went unspent in 2000. This year, they expect to carry over about $650,000, she said.
"Every year, it costs more to buy the same things," Fosnaught said.
Cuts: He noted that commissioners are switching health insurance companies and expect to save about $100,000, and also have cut contributions to several events, such as the yearly Italian Festival.
The county will also cut in half its contribution to the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation, to $45,000. "This was done as an austerity move; it's not that we don't think it's a worthy thing," Fosnaught said.
Commissioners added that tax revenues were not as high as expected. "We did not get as many new properties as we had hoped," Fosnaught said.
The millage will increase from 27.4 to 29.4 mills.
That means a person living in a home with a market value of $51,000 will pay an extra $17 in property taxes next year.
Fosnaught said the only significant increases in the county budget are employee raises, which are set by union contract.