Scott Township raising property taxes for 1st time in 10 years

SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. — For the first time in 10 years, Scott Township is raising property taxes.

Tuesday night, Township Manager Denise Fitzgerald spoke with Channel 11 about the reasons behind the 54% tax hike approved by the board last week.

“We’ve tried to maintain the millage and not increase, it’s just gotten impossible, we can’t do it anymore, so we did have to have an increase this year,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve had a lot of substantial increases across the board, one of the biggest ones is of course the garbage contract. Next year, we have a 28% increase. Over the life of the contract, it’s 54%, which is close to $3 million.”

Fitzgerald says the tax increase will help offset rising pension plans and healthcare costs along with a major price hike from Waste Management for trash removal service.

In total, she says the average homeowner will pay less than $300 extra this year in taxes.

“It’s around $286 I think is about what it’ll be for the year, that’s the increase,” Fitzgerald said.

Resident Kimberly Daniels Scumaci is anticipating a much larger increase.

“I’m looking, at my house, over $700. Minimally. And people who have more expensive houses than me are looking at more,” Scumaci said.

Scumaci said if the tax hike is truly aimed at covering the trash removal costs — she’d rather see the township take the total amount trash collection is increasing and divide it equally among residents — not tie it to home value.

“We’re only allowed one can a week. They’re basing it on the appraisals of our homes, so my next-door neighbor pays more or less than me to have the same one can picked up every week. It doesn’t make sense,” Scumaci explained.

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