Another No Tax Increase Budget Proposed for Lock Haven

LOCK HAVEN – City Council on Monday unanimously passed a $13 million proposed budget for 2021 with an accompanying no-tax increase ordinance. If given final council approval in December, 2021 would be the sixth year in a row that city real estate taxes will remain unchanged.

The six year no-tax-hike run began in 2016 after the real estate levy had gone up four years in a row, from 2012 to 2015.

Mayor Joel Long said the plus-$13 million document was “pretty close” to the 2020 budget. Council approved the measure 6-0 with a final reading scheduled for its Dec. 7 meeting. He said no real estate tax increase is anticipated “at this time.” He said council would be “hashing through” the proposed budget over the next month..

City Building Codes Officer Cyndi Walker sat in for City Manager Greg Wilson who was unable to attend due to a health issue. Walker said, “Everyone should be grateful” for the efforts of Wilson to craft a balanced, no-take-hike budget, given the burden resulting from dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Long said Wilson has done “a phenomenal job.”

The meeting was held at Lock Haven University’s Raub Hall and was streamed to the public. Requests for 2021 funding were heard from four non-profits: the Ross Library, the Clinton County SPCA, Clinton County Historical Society and Downtown Lock Haven, Inc. No decisions were made at the Monday night meeting.

Council hired one new police officer at the meeting and approved a resolution for the use of body-cams for city police.