PULASKI TOWNSHIP, PA. Officials OK budget, must wait on tax rate

The county has not told municipalities how many properties will receive tax breaks next year.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
PULASKI, Pa. -- Township officials know how much money they need to operate next year, but they still aren't sure what the real estate tax rate will be.
Pulaski supervisors approved a $569,816.66 general fund budget on Friday, but could not set the new tax millage rate.
Supervisors say they are unsure what the rate should be since the county has yet to inform them if any township property will be given special tax considerations next year.
Exemptions filed
Pulaski, a largely rural area, has received the anticipated fair market values for all its property from Lawrence County's first reassessment in nearly 40 years, but supervisors are concerned that a number of residents have filed for a Clean and Green exemption. Clean and Green is a state program that gives tax breaks to land used for agriculture and forestry.
In exchange for the break on taxes, property owners agree not to develop their property.
Supervisor Terry Sander said they aren't even sure how many township residents applied for the Clean and Green program. Countywide there were more than 500 applications, but the county assessor's office on Friday morning could not tell supervisors how many of them were Pulaski residents, he said.
Sander said they were told by the county that the Clean and Green applications had not yet been processed, making it difficult for the township to set its tax rate.
Sander said they are concerned that if a tax rate is set without knowing how many properties are receiving the tax break, there will either not be enough real estate tax collected next year to operate the township or the township will collect more than its allotted 5 percent.
Townships, boroughs and the county are restricted by state law to collect only 5 percent more in real estate tax than they took in this year because of reassessment.
Numbers coming soon
Lawrence County Commissioner Ed Fosnaught said estimated numbers from Clean and Green exemptions were going to be given to all municipalities sometime soon. None had been given out as of Friday.
Fosnaught said he was unsure when the final Clean and Green exemptions were going to be approved.
Township supervisors said they hope to resolve the problem by their next meeting at 10 a.m. Jan. 6 and then set the new tax millage rate.
Supervisors also approved figures for state dollars expected to be used on road projects in 2003 at $155,522.95; the fire fund at $72,948.05, used for payments on a new fire vehicle in the township; and $7,981.74 for the light fund which all residents pay into for electric street lights.