When Upper St. Clair commissioners adopted their 2013 budget of $18.8 million, they reduced their millage to 3.9 mills, due to the Allegheny County Reassessment. They are at it again. To prevent a windfall, the Upper St. Clair commissioners dropped their millage again to 3.83 mills.
In addition to lowering their millage, the commissioners adopted an ordinance encouraging homeowners to install solar power systems. There is a 30% federal tax credit available, in addition to state grant money, which is available through the end of 2013. I can't get the commission to work out a group rate for energy use here. The best I got, was a link on our municipal website with help in choosing energy suppliers.
Why would anyone want to move here instead of Upper St. Clair? Is it for the schools? The taxes? Remind me.
USC lowers millage rate again
Update March 6, 2013 12:55 PM Sorry for the cross post. I had to update this thread with Upper St. Clair's Magazine Fund. TOWNSHIP/SCHOOL DISTRICT MAGAZINE FUND USC has one PIO, not two separate offices. Did you see how much the editorial staff is budgeted? $35,000! USC's total magazine operating budget is $191,043. They made $6,157 last year. Our editor in chief's base salary is $96,252. This does not include any longevity bonus or benefits. In addition, she has a managing editor, a senior editor, an associate editor, a photography editor, a design associate, a production assistant, a clerical assistant, 9 photographers, 15 contributors, 4 people for copy desk, an art director, an advertising manager, and 4 account executives in advertising. That is just on the municipal side!
Update March 7, 2013 9:28 AM I debated about starting a new post, but since it pertains to the PIO spending our tax dollars, I am adding it as an update. One of Lebolife blogs, is promoting a business, as well as his own blog. three ways to spice up spring That doesn't feel right to me. Somehow I feel that if I submitted an article and added a tag "Read more of Elaine's blog at lebocitizens.blogspot.com," it would not meet Susan Morgan's approval. I want to say something positive about our new "baby blogs," but I am at a loss.
19 comments:
You can be sure someone from Lebolife will blog all about the joys of solar power and paying for your own trash pick up. You will though never, ever see a positive and constructive post on why lower taxes will attract more businesses, families or development on the corners of Bower Hill/Washington and Castle Shannon/MT(sic) Lebanon Blvds.
Just take a look at the new fee being proposed on landlords and what the landlords think about.
We should change the name of Mt. Lebanon to Mt. Feedme!
I think we won't see the commissioners lower the millage rate because certain commissioners properties are assessed far, far below what they paid for their homes on the open market.
10:51 underassessed properties are a county wide problem, not just in lebo. Conversly, lower priced homes are overassessed. It is up to the school district to appeal the assessments.
11:41 You are correct underassessed properties are a countywide problem, so throw your hands up in the air and say "oh well". Tell me in your first life were you a lemming?
I believe you are incorrect. It is NOT up to the school district ALONE to appeal underassessed properties. Both taxing bodies have the opportunity to appeal them. It just happens that the school district has the most to gain from doing so.
There was some budget discussion by the commissioners to set aside money for appealing underassessments though haven't heard any more on that topic lately from any of the commissioners.
You can be sure at least one won't broach the subject.
11:41 I don't know where you atre getting your information, but taxing districts (the municipality IS a taxing district) have the same right to appeal as property owners. That right has been affirmed in several courts cases.
http://www.lgc.state.pa.us/deskbook06/Issues_Taxation_and_Finance_01_RE_Assessment_Process.pdf
I forgot to add the 21 volunteer bloggers who are working for free with the PIO.
Elaine
12:04 yeah I am what are you going to do about it!
Children, let's try to focus. Okay?
Elaine
First off 11:41 you mislead everyone by incorrectly stating that it up to the school district to appeal underwater properties. This fallIcy has been conveniently perpetuated for quite a while now so the municipality can pass the buck.
Second, because properties are underassessed all over the county does that make it OK? Had you said which should lobby our county commissioners, appeal to a state representatives, the governor I'd have agreed with you. Instead you wave you hand over the subject with a dismissive a lot of county properties are underassessed.
Yeah they are, so what? USC just dropped their millage rate. Our school district and municipality could very easily do the same here for each and every homeowner and not see a loss in revenue.
No you'd rather come out swinging and calling people jerks.
Nice conversing with you.
This is my first visit to this site but it will definitely not be the last. The subject of the Mt. Lebanon magazine has always bugged me. I see it troubles others too.
The most basic question is: why is there a Mt. Lebanon Magazine in the first place?
The home rule statute prohibits home rule municipalities from operating businesses. I think a reasonable argument can be made that this magazine is in fact a business. While a public information office is within the scope of municipal powers, what this magazine does goes far beyond supplying the public with essential municipal information.
If the counter to the assertion that the magazine is proprietary or private business is to argue that the magazine fosters feelings of community, who is the judge of that? What are the objective standards for whether articles foster feelings community? Does every article have to foster community feelings?
This is a quote from page 4-17 of the comprehensive plan:
“Mt. Lebanon Magazine, which is paid for largely through advertising revenues, not only connects residents to their community but also serves as a recruitment tool for the municipality. “
If Mt. Lebanon published just the essentials in a cost effective fashion, it would not need revenues from advertising. The advertising revenue is at best a wash. At worst, Mt. Lebanon taxpayers are subsidizing advertisers.
In the same paragraph:
“The magazine has played a role in deflecting controversy by clearly explaining issues, offering opposing viewpoints in a calm and logical manner and organizing public forums.”
So we have municipal employees supposedly offering opposing viewpoints in a calm and logical manner – calm and logical by their judgment. Would they dare give a taxpaying opponent of the municipality’s point of view unedited access to the pages of the magazine they pay for? How is it that only municipal employees have exclusive access? And why should a magazine paid for by the taxpayers have sides in a controversy? There is a good reason Americans have a deep mistrust of a government owned press.
Would Susan Morgans be able to command $96,252 if she were publishing financial statements , trash schedules, etc.? The municipality can do that on a web site. In an age where many private publications are going digital, it is hard to justify such an extravagant and expensive vanity.
But, as with all things, if nobody does anything, what will stop it from continuing?
7:00 absolutely positively agree.
Even with the obvious breaking of the Home Rule statute there doesn't seem to be any provision for enforcing the HR statutes.
There was suppose to be a board appointed to review and rewrite the home rule statutes but that seems to have gone underground.
If it does resurface the first statute should define addressing HR violations and procedures regarding enforcement.
8:21,
There are ways to enforce those statutes. Cities and states do unlawful things all the time but until someone brings a challenge, why would they or should they stop? The PA and US Supreme Courts are full of successful challenges.
Few people have the resources and motivation to challenge the magazine. So to whom does it have to explain or defend itself?
7 PM, welcome! How did you find us?
You write about private publications going digital. Do you subscribe to Lebo ALERTS? If so, you know that we get alerts when the new MTL Magazine is available online. When it finally arrives in my mailbox, I have had read all that I want to read. It goes directly into the recycling. The full color, expensive paper is thrown in with all the newspapers. Doesn't seem right, does it? We are paying for that!
Elaine
I found you when I searching for information on Mt. Lebanon change in sewage billing. (Don't worry, I didn't find you with "sewage" term!)
I stopped reading Mt. Lebanon Magazine many years ago. I read some articles about property put forth opinions that were dismissive of opposing views and, I believe, legally incorrect.
One of them said something to the effect that "we can't prevent some people from putting up their hideous and gaudy signage." Up till that time, I didn't know we employed municipal aesthetes.
I updated this thread again. This time, I have a link to the latest "baby blog" as PG's blogger, Bob Batz, Jr. refers to his Lebolife blog. Why do we have 21 bloggers using our website? Blogger is free.
Elaine
As I said before, I am ok with it. I am even ok with promoting a Mt. Lebanon owned business. I don't think that should be the primary purpose of the blog but it does meet the scope of what the blog is about.
Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill.
10:14 whit are you OK with it?
USC has an award-winning community magazine that covers both the school district and municipality.
Our 2, that's TWO PIO salaries alone add up to almost the total of the USC magazine staff.
7:00 am presented some interesting Home Rule Charter requirements. 10:14 could you please direct me to the opposing viewpoints covered in MTL magazine on the high school project?
How about PAYT, the environmental issues?
You're entitled to your position on the magazine, it would be nice if would try to convince the rest of us.
On the subject of millage rates and property values the school district 'cheerleaders' constantly defend the ever escalating tax burden by proclaiming excellent schools keep everybody's property values high. So therefore the case is made that school taxes are really a personal investment in your property values.
So why is it that so many high end properties have lost substantial assessed value from their recent sale price or even from their 2012 values? Some have lost $100,000s.
Now one could claim the 2013 values were to correct the errors in the 2002 assessment. But that would account for a home that sold in the last 6 years being assessed far below it's sale price.
So the question becomes, if the 2013 numbers are correct, are we seeing a trend perhaps. That the big money people are abandoning hotty-totty Mt. Leboanon for 'greener' pastures?
Are Mt. Lebanon's days numbered as an affluent community?
Are we on the cusp of becoming just another Bethel, Scott, Pleasnt Hills, Monroeville?
Correction:
" But that would account for a home that sold in the last 6 years being assessed far below it's sale price."
Should read:
" But would that account for a home that sold in the last 6 years being assessed far below it's sale price."
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