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Falls Township proposes 1‑mill increase to fund parks and recreation in 2026 budget
Summary
Falls Township presented a proposed 2026 budget that would raise the township millage by 1 mill — estimated at about $30 per year for the average homeowner — to support parks and recreation, cover rising pension costs and pay for road and park capital projects; the board voted to advertise the budget for public inspection.
Falls Township officials on Nov. 24 unveiled a proposed 2026 budget that includes a 1‑mill increase in township real estate tax to shore up the parks and recreation fund and to address rising operating costs.
The budget presentation, given by staffer Betsy, laid out the township's tax distribution: about 85% of a resident's property tax goes to the Pensbury School District, 11% to Bucks County and roughly 4% to Falls Township. Under the proposal, the township's total millage would be 9.97 mills and the 1‑mill parks increase would cost the average taxpayer roughly $30 per year (about $2.50 per month).
Why it matters: township staff said the millage increase is intended to sustain programming and maintenance for 18 parks and recreational amenities — playgrounds, fields, a skate park, a boat ramp and other facilities — and to cover a growing pension obligation. The budget document projects about $31,147,867 in expenditures across the township's tax funds and a broader operating and capital spending plan of just over $45 million for 2026.
Key details in the staff presentation included a proposed $2,280,000 allocation for Willow Drive reconstruction; $2.7 million for assorted road improvements (including overlays and repairs); and $570,520 for park improvements such as Penn's Grant Park renovation and a drainage fix for the hockey rink. The general fund proposed expenditures total $28,144,324, and police services were shown as the largest single category of spending.
On revenue, staff said host community fees will contribute $5 million to the general fund in 2026, down from highs in prior years; earned income tax was projected at $12 million and other revenue sources were listed for permits, franchise fees and state pension assistance. Staff told the board they are trying to rebuild a reserve, noting a current host‑fees reserve of about $25.5 million and a proposal to add $2 million in 2025.
Board and public discussion focused on two points: the volatility of host community fees (revenue associated with local landfill activity) and long‑term pension costs. A resident who questioned the figures was told that some host‑fee dollars are transferred into the general fund to cover operating costs, and that the township maintains a reserve to prepare for times when fees decline.
The board moved and approved a motion to advertise the proposed 2026 budget for public inspection and comment, beginning Nov. 26 and leading to adoption at the Dec. 16 board meeting.
A note on numbers and sourcing: budget figures and specific project allocations come from the staff presentation given at the Nov. 24 meeting. "I'd like to present the proposed budget for 2026 for your review," the presenter said in opening the presentation. The advertised budget will provide full line‑item detail for public inspection.
