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Lebanon Township CFO says draft 2026 budget is roughly $400,000 over CAP; committee to review options
Summary
Township CFO Lorraine England told the Lebanon Township Committee on Jan. 15 that the draft 2026 municipal budget is about $400,000 over the statutory CAP and that the year-to-year budget gap is approximately $896,000; the Committee discussed possible Finance Board exemptions and scheduled the next workshop for Feb. 12.
Township CFO Lorraine England presented the draft 2026 budget to the Lebanon Township Committee at a budget work session on Jan. 15, stating the draft exceeds the municipal CAP by roughly $400,000 and that the budget gap from 2025 to 2026 is about $896,000. England told the Committee that, by statute, the CAP on the tax levy and appropriations defaults to 2 percent and may be increased to 3.5 percent by ordinance.
England reviewed revenue estimates and departmental budget requests and said the township could apply to the Finance Board for an exemption to exceed the CAP; she said she would need to verify which exemptions are allowable. Committee members asked questions about possible exemptions and next steps; the Committee scheduled the next Budget Workshop for Feb. 12 to continue the review.
The meeting record shows two brief public-comment periods. During the first public comment, members of the public addressed the 2025 budget and the CAP. During a second public-comment period, speakers raised tax-liens policy, open-space funding, CAP appropriations, insurance and salary increases, and the township's reserve for uncollected taxes; several attendees also offered brief thanks and birthday wishes to committee members.
All procedural motions recorded in the minutes carried by unanimous voice vote. Motions documented include opening and closing the public-comment periods and adjourning the meeting; the adjournment motion passed and the meeting ended at 8:03 p.m.
The Committee and staff did not adopt any ordinance or make a final budget decision at the session; the record shows this meeting was a workshop presentation and direction to continue analysis at the Feb. 12 Budget Workshop.
