Woodward Townships Okays Budget, Doubles Taxes

by John Lipez

LOCKPORT – It only took a few minutes, with little comment from township residents in attendance, for the Woodward Township supervisors to approve a 2014 budget which will see a doubling of the township’s real estate levy.

The vote Tuesday night was 3-0, chairman Clyde Glossner and fellow supervisors Brian Hoy and Maria Selfe voting as they did in November for the township’s 2014 spending document amounting to $856,000.

They approved doubling the township real estate levy from 1.25 mills to 2.5 mills, the action likewise doubling the annual real estate tax proceeds from $167,000 in 2013 to an anticipated $334,000 in the new year.

The supervisors expressed no pleasure at approving the increase and said the real estate levy should have been increased gradually in previous years.

They said the additional dollars are needed to, among other things, purchase a new backhoe, cover increased workers compensation costs for the Dunnstown Fire Company and carry out the township’s road maintenance and paving program.

The supervisors had indicated earlier the average homeowner real estate bill in the township will go from $150 this year to $300 next year.

Glossner took some time to stress the importance of the Woodward Township police department. He talked of the recent heavy volume of complaints and complimented the department for its handling of the cases, what he called “a lot of activity.”

The supervisors also said there are no short term plans to build a new municipal building on township owned land along Route 664, Hoy stating that will happen “some day.”

They also approved a $10,000 donation to the Dunnstown Fire Company, the same amount as a year ago. The funds come from the state natural gas impact fee.