Hatboro Looks to Plug Budget Shortfall

During a two-hour budget meeting Thursday, the Hatboro Borough Council began poring through its 30-page spending to see what adjustments are needed to approve a balanced budget by year's end. 

At the outset, the roughly $4.6 million budget notes a $56,715 shortfall. But, Council President John Zygmont said that figure is based on revenue from a yet-to-be-approved $52 per year local services tax - a possible replacement for the borough's $10 per year occupational privilege tax. 

Without the local services tax, Zygmont said Hatboro takes in about $30,000 from its occupational privilege tax. The higher wage tax for people who work in Hatboro would mean about $50,000 more in revenue, or $80,000 in all.  

Zygmont suggested subtracting out the additional funds so that version two of the 2013 budget draft would show an approximate $106,000 deficit. 

"The numbers here are very preliminary and subject to change," he said. "The purpose of today is to get the conversation going."

Councilman Vincent LaSorsa said the borough is facing a 15 percent increase in health insurance costs. 

While no official decisions were made Thursday, the council discussed, line item by line item, areas that could be scaled back, including reductions in the fire marshal's budget; a possible cost-saving switch in electricity providers; and shifting upgraded communications equipment requests made by Emergency Management Coordinator Fred Zollers to the borough's capital budget. 

At this time last year, the council was staring down a , which was eventually

Officials have several meetings before the 2013 budget will be formally adopted. Preliminary adoption is slated for Nov. 19 with final adoption on Dec. 17.