Budget Maintains High Quality Services with Minimal Property Tax Increase

Poolesville, Md. – The Poolesville Town Commission this week approved a fiscal year 2016 municipal operating budget of $2.7 million that preserves the high quality of services that Town residents are accustomed to, with minimal increases in the local property tax rate, and water and sewage fee.
The property tax rate, which is the primary revenue source for the General Fund, will increase slightly from $0.1672 per $100 of assessed property value to $0.17 per $100 of assessed property value. This change comes after a nine-year time span, when the property tax rate remained at the constant yield level. One area of increase in the operating budget is for park maintenance, as tot lots were converted to new materials for ADA compliance and new parks were brought online by the Town.
Additionally, partly as a result of the need to make improvements to aging infrastructure and an expanding system, the water and sewage user fees will increase by 8 percent. For the average household, this means a total increase of less than $4 each month.
Town commissioners developed the FY 16 budget taking into account the many changes Poolesville is currently undergoing. The Town has incurred additional water and sewer expenses over the past few years, due to additional wells and sewer lines. Additionally, the budget allocates significant resources for three new employees: two within the water and sewage department to lessen the amount of overtime employees, and one within the town park department to account for the additional parks, trails and roads being added to Poolesville.
“Property tax and fee increases – no matter how slight – are something that we never take lightly, as we strive to find a balance between identifying operational efficiencies and cost-savings to taxpayers, while preserving high quality Town services,” said Poolesville Commission President Jim Brown. “We’re pleased with the positive changes and intentionally planned moderate growth that the Town is experiencing. We are strongly committed to ensuring that Poolesville maintains its small town atmosphere and remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.”