UNION TOWNSHIP Supervisors adopt budget for 2004

One supervisor said the income estimates for the 2004 budget are too high.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Union Township supervisors, in a 2-to-1 vote, approved the 2004 budget of $4.36 million.
Supervisors Kenneth Guinaugh and Clair Damon voted for the budget. The dissenter, Steve Galizia, said he intends to reopen the spending plan in January.
That is when newly elected supervisor Pat Angiolelli, whom Galizia has long supported, takes his seat on the board. Guinaugh will remain on the board, and Damon, a temporary appointee filling the unexpired term of deceased Supervisor Ralph Nuzzo, will leave office at the end of the year.
Galizia said Wednesday that he voted against the budget because he believes income estimates are too high. Secretary-Treasurer Sally Byler said they are the best available.
Galizia pointed out that taxes from the reassessment were overestimated for the current year, and he believes they have again been overestimated.
Questioning plan
Guinaugh and Byler questioned Galizia's intention to reopen the budget, saying the spending plan is so tight that there is no room to make changes. They asked him whether he intends to raise taxes. Galizia replied that he does not.
He said later there are "a lot of places you can cut" the budget.
The 2004 general fund figure is $879,210, slightly lower that the current year. The township will start next year with a $5,000 carry-over balance.
Despite the close budget, supervisors left taxes at the same level they have been for the last 13 years.
Supervisors also announced that a layoff notice has been given to Damon, who has been serving as assistant roadmaster, effective 3 p.m. next Wednesday. Damon said the layoff is because of Guinaugh's decision not to go away for two weeks in December as he usually does.
Damon said he would have been needed to supervise the road workers if Guinaugh went away. He said he saw no point in staying on the job when summer road workers are on regular winter layoff.
Treating roads
In other business, resident Richard Pauline asked supervisors whether the township will again use a mixture of salt and anti-skid material to treat roads. He said the anti-skid makes a mess and tracks into yards and homes.
Guinaugh said the township cannot afford to use pure salt, which costs $30 a ton, and instead mixes it with the anti-skid material, which costs $6 per ton. He said the anti-skid lasts several days, unlike salt.
Galizia disagreed, however, saying that although the mixture is good on hills, it should not be used everywhere.
Guinaugh said all the townships use it except in areas where there are storm sewers because the anti-skid material clogs sewers.
Supervisors said they are also reconsidering placing a stop sign at West Washington Street and Scotland Lane, stating there is no support for it among residents.