Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Crafton presents balanced 2026 draft budget; no tax increase, fund balance reduced pending grants
Summary
At a Dec. 11 budget workshop, borough staff reported a draft balanced 2026 budget with no tax increase (8.59 mills) and a current total fund balance of about $6.2 million; staff said $2 million in grants and an ARPA-related payment of about $1.2 million are expected to improve reserves.
Speaker 2, presenting at Crafton’s seventh budget workshop on Dec. 11, said the borough’s total funds balance is down to $6,200,000 after payouts for C-twenty and Broadhead but that staff expects roughly $2,000,000 in grant funding soon. “We anticipate the Alkassane grant coming in any day,” Speaker 2 said, and added that an ARPA-related grant of about $1,200,000 is expected early next month.
Speaker 2 summarized multi-year revenue trends and said the draft 2026 budget is balanced with no tax increase. “We do have a balanced budget, no tax increase this year,” Speaker 2 said, and reported the overall tax rate remains 8.59 mills, with the levy directed to real estate taxes.
On the bond fund, Speaker 2 said an updated tracking sheet shows just over $1,000,000 remaining after committed and completed projects (reported as about 1,000,081). If a not-yet-funded additional project proceeds, bond balances would fall to an estimated $780,000. The five-year capital improvement plan was described as unchanged and focused primarily on equipment rather than large infrastructure.
Staff identified continuing infrastructure work totaling about $6,750,000, including the principal project noted in the meeting (referred to in the transcript as “bridal ed”), smaller projects such as a DCED-sponsored effort, and the possible advancement of Station Street if scheduled before year end. Speaker 2 also flagged a shore-repair funding gap: the budget includes $350,000 for shore repairs but identified about $695,000 in needed work.
Municipal property projects approved or planned included community center tables and chairs, a security upgrade (cameras and doors) funded with bond proceeds, Public Works Building security work, and building system upgrades intended to support police certification. Speaker 2 listed additional municipal upgrades: community center flooring and window treatments, a police locker room renovation, council chamber carpet, a borough-building awning, a code office AC unit, and full replacement of the stage roof at Crafton Park.
Library funding was proposed to increase by 3% to $25.96. Other items discussed in the workshop included purchasing a brush attachment for the public works skid steer and providing medical physicals for volunteer fire department members. Speaker 2 also reported allocations for paving (~$65,000 for two major streets), additional brick repairs (roughly $100,000 plus $115,000 already planned) and $100,000 budgeted for Ewing Road repairs.
On next steps, council participants discussed prioritizing projects and referring detailed timing and grading decisions to the finance committee. Speaker 1 asked that the finance committee review the list monthly to determine what to advance or pull. Several participants agreed to end the workshop and reconvene for the scheduled public meeting in a half hour, leaving final votes on some items — including garbage and sewage charges — pending further review.
The meeting transcript contains the borough’s working figures and staff projections; the draft budget and final votes were not completed during the workshop.
