Township Passes Budget for 2012

Lower Macungie Township officials recently approved a budget for 2012.

As in past years, there will be no real estate tax assessed for the coming year, , township manager, said in a release.

But that particular feature of living in is sure to change. Some say sooner, some later.

Township Commissioner Joe Pugliese said in a recent Morning Call story that he estimates a property tax will be imposed by 2017. By talking about it now, nobody will be surprised when it occurs, he said.

Fosselman said he sees that tax might arrive a little later, more like 2020, because it's difficult to run the township without one, the story said.

"Commissioners unanimously approved an overall $16.6 million spending plan [for 2012] that holds the line on customer rates for trash and sewer services. The $8.3 million general operating portion of the spending plan represents a 1 percent spending decrease," the story said.

Commissioners used More than $400,000 of the township's almost $8 million reserve fund to balance the 2012 spending plan, it said, and that's after using more than $300,000 for the same reason last year.