Reply #20: some narrowing of the aperture - looking at local issues [View All]

[UpInArms]

Ephrata considers 10% tax hike; borough workers face layoffs

http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/10229

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Regardless of whether Ephrata Borough Council goes ahead with several proposed layoffs, when the 2005 budget is adopted next week, it will mean higher costs for everyone.

With the budget expected to bring in $26 million in revenue while expending $27 million, council is mulling a 10 percent hike in real estate taxes.

For the borough, it would be the first tax hike in about eight years.

The borough's millage rate is 1.587. With the county's reassessment, that rate will drop to 1.368 mills. However, with the proposed 10 percent hike - the maximum allowed by law following reassessment - the rate will come back up to 1.504 mills.

That 10 percent, said the borough's financial officer Gail Bare during a borough council meeting Monday, will bring in about an extra $100,000 next year.

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However, it is the prospect of layoffs that has drawn large numbers of employees to the meetings held over the past several weeks. To help cut costs, the administration proposed cutting four jobs; one electrical lineman, one wastewater treatment worker and two public works employees. However, while the lineman's job seems to have been salvaged, the other three are far from assured they will have jobs come Jan. 1.

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