Dickinson Township adopts 2025 budget, sets millage and keeps earned income tax at 1%

The Dickinson Township Board of Supervisors voted Dec. 16 to adopt the township's final 2025 operating and capital budget and to set property and earned-income tax rates that will take effect Jan. 1, 2025. Chairman Rob Kole moved for adoption and Supervisor Jen DeGaetano seconded; the motion passed by majority with Vice Chairman Robert "Bob" Line III abstaining.

Chairman Rob Kole said the board is adopting a new budget presentation that "provides a story behind the numbers," which he and staff hope will make capital projects and spending decisions clearer to residents. Kole said the format will let the board "weigh in on capital projects and review them piece by piece." Supervisor DeGaetano, in her first budget cycle, said the additional detail was "very helpful" for understanding priorities.

Vice Chairman Line said he wished there had been more public discussion prior to finalizing which road projects to include, calling the format a template and saying he was "not confident there was good debate on the road projects to be worked on in the coming year." Line said other entities have adjusted policies in extraordinary circumstances and expressed concern about locking in spending without fuller prior public input.

The board formally adopted Resolution 2024-11 to establish the General Fund real estate millage at 0.75 mills and the Fire real estate millage at 0.25 mills on assessed valuation, and to maintain an Earned Income/Net Profit Tax at a rate of 1 percent. The resolution passed unanimously. The budget document and an older-format version were posted on the township website, according to the manager's materials.

The board also adopted a companion resolution (2024-12) to discontinue the township's burn ban; that resolution passed unanimously. The budget and tax rates will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.