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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The Hollidaysburg Borough Council passed a 2021 budget with no tax increase, though they were accused by a community member of not being transparent in the process.
On Thursday evening, the six council members present voted to pass the budget, which is projected to give the borough a general fund surplus of $15,553. Councilmember Richard Scholton was not present for the vote.
The 2021 general fund revenue is budgeted at $3,083,350 with expenses totaling $3,067,797. The borough budgeted for salary increases in multiple departments, the largest being a nearly $100,000 hike for the municipal police force. Additionally, the borough expects health insurance costs to increase in nearly all departments from actual 2020 amounts.
The borough has budgeted for an increase in revenue through existing tax rates and other gains by about $164,000 from 2020 actual numbers. It also plans to transfer $200,000 less to capital reserves than in 2020.
Richard Latker of the Hollidaysburg Community Watchdog group spoke during the meeting's public comment. He criticized the borough for having not published the proposed 2021 budget on its website.
He called this "no surprise," accusing the borough government of operating opaquely, pointing out a lack of public input on the issue at the meeting.
Borough Manager Jim Gehret confirmed earlier in the day that the budget was not posted on the borough's website, but said it had been available in the borough office for inspection.
Following the meeting, Gehret said he couldn't comment on Latker's issue, as the borough had followed the same procedure as in past years.
"The budget was available for inspection to anyone who wanted to inspect it, same as it always has been in the past," Gehret said in an email.
Borough Council President Joseph Pompa did not return a call for comments on the accusation.
The budget showed that despite a drop of more than $300,000 in revenue in 2020 compared with 2018 and 2019, the borough is on track to end the year with a $160,859 net surplus after having reduced expenses.
Mirror Staff Writer Dom Cuzzolina is at 814-946-7428.