On Oct. 10, Whitehall Township Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. made public a proposed 2017 budget that, for the sixth consecutive year, does not raise real estate taxes, lowers garbage collection bills and sets in place plans for a new emergency services building.

The proposed $22.1 million budget is now before the township’s board of commissioners. Public hearings will be held in November, and the 2017 budget will be enacted in December.

The township home rule charter mandates the mayor present to the board of commissioners the budget for the following year by Oct. 15.

Hozza stated the annual garbage fee is proposed to be reduced from the present $330 to $300. The cost decrease was proposed by the administration when the township launched its new program using 65-gallon, single-stream recycling carts and 95-gallon refuse carts.

An emergency services building is proposed to be located off Lehigh Street on vacant land behind Arlington Cemetery. It would house the police station, a satellite base for Cetronia Ambulance Corps, a police and fire gym and a storage for fire department equipment.

“Our current police station, with several levels, is not efficient and does not meet current safety standards. The plan is to begin construction in 2018,” Hozza said.

Another proposal by Hozza is an approximate $1 million cost to convert the remaining 2,300 township street lights to LED technology. The township currently pays $130,000 annually to PPL Electric Utilities. This bill would be reduced to $65,000 per year with LED lights. The savings would be used for the repayment of debt needed to pay for the LED conversion, and the township would be eligible to receive rebate money for the conversion.

There is $550,000 budgeted for fire apparatus for Egypt Fire Company and $65,000 to replace Hurst Jaws of Life.

Streets slated for improvement include Jordan Drive, Evergreen Park Development streets, Olympic Circle East, a portion on Pine Street and some microsurfacing at the Walnut Gardens subdivision.

“For 2017, January will see all police vacancies filled with new recruits either being academy trained or entering the police academy,” Hozza said.

Salaries for police officers are unknown since contract talks are ongoing.

Hozza’s 2017 salary is $89,619, up from $87,423 this year, set by the commissioners for four years before the mayor began his new term. Other 2017 salaries for ranking officials are $79,118 for Fire Chief/Inspector David Nelson and $112,112, up from $100,709, for Acting Chief of Police Michael Marks. Township commissioners receive $4,125 each, with no raise since the stipend is at the maximum allowed.

The major revenue sources are current real estate taxes at $6,159,924; earned income taxes projected at $6,345,336; and business privilege taxes at $1,904,553.

Hozza called the 2017 proposed budget “an ambitious plan, seeking to address replacement of aging infrastructure and equipment, retaining staff levels and providing the financial wherewithal for our departments to meet the needs for government services.”