Logan Township supervisors Thursday approved a tentative 2026 budget that would leave property tax at the current 2.64 mills and forgo an increase.

The $43 million spending plan calls for using almost all the township’s projected $1.5 million start-of-year fund balance to make ends meet for the $8 million general fund portion of the budget, according to Finance Director Tiffany Noonan.

In keeping with township practice, revenues are projected so conservatively and expenses so generously that it’s likely none of the fund balance will actually be needed to cover next year’s costs, according to Noonan.

The current year’s budget that the supervisors adopted in December called for spending the entire projected start-of-year fund balance in 2025 — but instead of being spent, the balance actually increased slightly, Noonan said.

“We’ll beat the budget (again),” she said.

No sewer rate increases are included in the 2026 budget, although there could be increases in portions of bills that are based partly on services provided in districts served by sewer plants run by the Altoona Water Authority or Frankstown Township, Noonan said.

There are no major deviations from the norm in the 2026 budget, according to township officials.

There are, however, cyclical changes that reflect equipment reaching the end of its usefulness.

Last year, the township allocated money for dump trucks for the Highway Department, while this year it calls for purchasing a tractor with a boom mower and a backhoe for that department, Noonan said.

Last year, the budget included money for body cameras for the police department, while this year, the needs are different, she said.

The budget includes money to match grants awarded this year and last year, she said.

The tax burden for township residents is second lowest among Blair County municipalities, despite Logan’s provision of a 16-officer police department and sewer service, said Supervisor Ron Heller.

Noonan, the department heads and the rank-and-file employees do well to avoid wasteful spending, according to supervisors Chairman Jim Patterson.

That is due to detailed attention to budgets, said Supervisor Joe Metzgar.

It’s appropriate for the township to “live within (its) means,” given that “it’s not our money (but money) held in trust for the residents,” Supervisor Ed Frontino said.

The budget projects revenues of $2 million from real estate tax and $1.4 million in earned income tax.

It projects general government expenses of $914,000, public safety expenses of $2.6 million, sewer department expenses of $426,000 and highway department expenses of $1.2 million.

The supervisors can adopt the budget at their meeting Dec. 11.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.