Alisher Aminov
LEBANON, Pa.— On Monday, the Lebanon City Council voted to Pass the Y2023 annual budget totaling approximately $15.6 million.
The Lebanon City Council met five times in November to review Mayor Sherry Capello’s proposed Year 2023 Lebanon City Budget.
Mayor Capello said that overall, the budget revenues and expenditures are both estimated to go up by approximately 2%. According to the budget, it is estimated that the City’s expenditures will be approximately $15,649,585, and the approximate revenues will be $12,909,215.
Mayor Capello also announced that for the eighth year in a row, the Lebanon City Government would not be raising property taxes within the City. The millage rate for property taxes will remain at 4.581.
Mayor Capello said that a homeowner with an average assessed property value of $103,296 would pay $473.
Mayor Capello said that Lebanon boasts the lowest property tax rate amongst third-class cities and the second lowest among all cities in Pennsylvania. She noted that Scranton, PA has a slightly lower tax/millage rate at 2.395 mills; however, their earned income tax is higher than Lebanon City’s.
Lebanon City’s Earned Income Tax is 1.9%; however, this figure is divided between the city government and Lebanon School District. The Lebanon City Government receives 1.4%, and the Lebanon School District receives 0.5%.
Mayor Capello said that the City would need to use carry-over funds that it had accumulated from the previous year’s budgets (totaling $2,740,370) to balance the deficit between expected revenues and expenditures.
Of the proposed $15.6 million budget, 82.6% of expected expenses are specifically personnel/department related, costing the City a total of $12,938,275. It is estimated in the budget that the total expenses for administration will be approximately $3.9 million, police expenses will be roughly $5.4 million, and public safety will be about $3.6 million.
While the City generates revenue from multiple sources, Mayor Capello said that the two largest sources are property taxes and earned income taxes.
The budget estimates that the City will receive approximately $3.9 million from property taxes and roughly $6 million from earned income taxes. The remaining sources of revenue are mixed between various Lebanon City departments.
After the budget hearings concluded, the Lebanon City Council voted unanimously to approve the proposed Y2023 Lebanon City Budget.
Author: Amaury Abreu
