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Manager Charles Gable presented to the council on Monday a 2024 Gettysburg Borough budget proposal that includes a $711,489 deficit. To fill the fiscal hole, Gable suggests elected officials consider a combination of options. Those suggestions include raising property taxes, increasing overnight parking rates, increasing fees, or using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds.
Gable attributed the imbalance to the council’s desire to hire two additional police officers, a 7.2 percent increase in health insurance cost, the requirement to fund a $72,000 shortfall in the borough’s pension fund, and its existing debt.
Gable warned the council that using ARPA funds is a short-term fix because they expire in 2026, causing the structural deficit to re-emerge.
Possible tax increase
Gable stressed several times that borough staff are not recommending a property tax increase. However, he did highlight increasing taxes 0.153 mills each year for the next three years would raise $79,632 and keep pace with inflation.
At the council’s request, Gable included a fire tax in the budget that is double the current amount. The fire tax is sent directly to local volunteer fire companies. Fire department leaders told the council earlier this year that the current tax of 0.25 mills is not enough to fund their operations.
Parking, fee revenue
Parking revenue totaled $1.139 million in 2022, Gable said. As of Sept. 30, 2023, the borough collected more than $1.08 million from parking, leading Gable to suspect that this year’s revenues will surpass 2022. Parking revenue does not include fines, Gable said.
If the borough would raise the daily fee to park in Racehorse Alley Parking Garage from $18 to $24, it could realize an additional $100,000, Gable projected.
“Eighteen dollars an hour for a 24-hour period is still – and people are not going to like me saying it – very, very reasonable,” Gable said. “Travel to any other municipality that has a desirable thing to do in it and you will spend more than $18 per day to park.”
The council could also consider raising fees associated with residential parking permits, licenses and inspections, land use permits, and fuel facilities.
Gable said he hopes to upgrade the garage’s kiosk system in 2023. He also plans to install a car counting system so users know how many spaces are available before they enter. He did not offer estimated costs for either project during the meeting.
Police department
The borough’s police department is the largest expense of its $6.612 million budget, Gable noted. In 2023, the department is expected to spend $2.56 million on police. That amount will increase in 2024 due to the council’s desire to hire two additional police officers at a total cost of $214,000. Chief Robert Glenny also hopes to purchase a drone. Gable did not estimate the cost for the drone.
Next steps
Elected officials will begin to dissect Gable’s 2024 Gettysburg Borough budget proposal and consider other options when it meets Oct. 16 for the first of several budget workshops. Additional workshops will be held Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. The borough council expects to advertise the budget on Nov. 13 and adopt it Dec. 11. All meetings begin 7 p.m. in the borough hall on East High Street.
Other business
While the budget presentation dominated Monday’s meeting, the governing body made several other announcements.
Council unanimously accepted the resignation of Kierstan Demps as the alternate to the borough’s planning commission. Demps caused substantial community scrutiny last week when she trademarked the Gettysburg Area School District Warriors logo with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Demps, a Democrat, is on the November ballot to represent Gettysburg Borough Ward 1 under the name Kierstan Belle.
Mayor Rita Frealing announced Trick or Treat will be held on Halloween Night, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Public Works Director Robert Harbaugh shared his staff will collect leaves from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3. Harbaugh asked residents to place leaves on the curb, not the street.
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.