Lebo math at its finest

A reader submitted this for consideration. It appears that Jan Klein's numbers are not adding up.

Look at the Estimated value of Community Assessment in 2013 chart which was dated 8-May-13.

Assessed Value Per Tax Office (5/3/13): $ 2 ,715,449,015

The next line is interesting.

Less Historical % of Liens at Year End est at 1.6%: 43,447,184

Every year, this shows up in the budget. However, it never shows up as revenue when the liens are satisfied. They get paid eventually. Classic example is the $2.3 million windfall for the Covenant. Liens are deducted in the budget which cause the millage to go up.  We pay for the liens through our taxes and then when the District collects the liens, we never get a refund or see it budgeted.

Back to the chart. See the 22.61 mills in the orange box? That is our new millage for 2013-2014.  But Jan Klein skipped a step. The Anti Windfall Law requires that she first needed to establish the revenue neutral tax rate. That number is 21.17 mills.  How do you get the 21.17 millage? Take $54,914,220 (Budget- Real Estate Taxes at 2012-13 Millage Rate) and divide it by $2,593,675,608 (Adjusted Assessed Value) in the green box. That is the true millage neutral rate.  Jan's number is 6.8% over the revenue neutral tax rate, or a 1.44 mill increase.

Doing the Lebo math:

  22.61 (Jan's millage)
 -21.17 (millage neutral)
1.44 mill increase or 6.8% over the revenue neutral tax rate


Let's look at the "20%" reduction in millage. (Blue Box)

 27.13 mills (2012-2013)
-22.61 mills (2013-2014)
4.52 mills

That is a 16.66052340582381% reduction, not 20% reduction!  Percentage calculator

I think there is some explaining to do, School Board. It ain't adding up.

Why don't we try to keep up with USC on this one? UPDATED 2X

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.

The 2013 Manager's Recommended Budget is now online

The 2013 Manager's Recommended Budget has been posted online here.  The good news is that:

• The budgets for all funds are balanced using a combination of ongoing revenue sources and available reserves.
• The budget assumes a property re-assessment that will result in an increase of 5 percent over real estate revenue received in 2012. Because of the reassessment and “anti-windfall” legislation, we expect that the millage will actually decrease from 5.43 mills to 4.4 – 4.89 mills, depending on the results of appeals.
• There is no increase proposed in the earned income tax rate or deed transfer tax rate.
• There are also no proposed changes to the sanitary sewer fee or stormwater fee.

Budget review meetings start next week beginning Monday, November 5, 2012 at 6 PM with future meetings scheduled for Thursday, November 8, 2012 and Wednesday, November 14. I believe Citizens' Comments will be held November 13, 2012.