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KINGSTON TWP. — The proposed 2017 township budget will decrease the earned income tax rate by two tents of a percent, James Reino, supervisor chairman said Thursday.

Kingston Township supervisors held public work sessions on Oct. 26 and 27 to develop the preliminary municipal budget for the coming year.

The $3.4 million proposed budget will reduce the earned income tax from 1.07 percent to 1.05 percent and retain the one mill real estate tax. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed value.

“When we raised the EIT up a couple of years ago to do paving, we planned on lowering it when the municipal building was paid off,” Reino said.

A line item for $8,145 for landscaping in the building maintenance category of the proposed Capital Fund sparked some debate among the supervisors.

Supervisor Shirley Moyer questioned the $8,145 landscaping expense included in the repair and maintenance category of the Capital Fund.

“The administration building landscaping seems extremely high,” Moyer said. “What are we doing?”

Township Secretary Kathleen Sebastian explained the large rhododendron bushes in front of the municipal building pose a security threat.

“People could hide in them (the bushes),” Sebastian said. “There is nothing in front of Bill’s (Bill Eck, township zoning officer) office and people are coming up and knocking on his window to get his attention.”

Melissa Chamberlain, a township supervisor, suggested cutting down the rhododendrons and using the security film for the windows, which was also budgeted for $1,925 under the same category to promote security and prevent people from approaching Eck’s window.

“It just seems that is money that could be spent elsewhere,” Chamberlain said. “Last night, we sat here we were saying that we (the township) were in a good spot financially and we wanted to give the taxpayers a tax cut and wanted to conserve some money for future resources.”

“Now, we are going to spend $8,000 on plants.”

Renio reminded everyone the figure is just an estimate and the project is just a proposal.

“Anything in the Capital Fund is brought before the board before it is expended,” Sebastian said.

Supervisors Reino, Moyer and Sam Barbose approved to include the landscaping expense in the proposed budget. Chamberlain voted against the line item.

The budget will be available in the municipal building for the public to review during regular business hours.

The proposed budget is slated for final approval during the regular monthly supervisors meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 in the township building.

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By Eileen Godin

[email protected]

Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.