Dear Editor:
The Clearfield Borough/Lawrence Township consolidation plan is to reduce Clearfield Borough taxes by seven (7) mills, so that Lawrence Township and the borough are at the same rate.
This will reduce tax revenue by $280,000. Once the two municipalities are merged, it will be necessary to recoup this lost revenue.
To do so, the new council will have to raise the tax rate by at least three mills. This will mean a Lawrence Township taxpayer will have a three-mill (3) increase while Clearfield Borough will still enjoy a four-mill (4) reduction.
This will also mean that almost all the increase in Lawrence Township taxes ($180,000) will be spent in Clearfield Borough, as it is unrealistic to believe that the borough can reduce its spending by $160,000, the amount lost by the four-mill (4) decrease.
In the question and answer pages on Gant Daily, it was stated that the tax rate was expected to stay at 18 mills. They surely know this is not possible. If the budgets are as tight as they claim, there is no way they can absorb a $280,000 decrease in revenue.
It should also be noted that while the committee to merge holds up the City of St. Marys as a model for what to expect, the real estate tax rate in St. Marys is double what we pay in Lawrence Township now and 12 mills higher than paid by Clearfield Borough homeowners.
They also only have one fire company to cover 99 square miles, which is larger than the Clearfield/Lawrence Township area of 84 square miles. It is difficult to understand if they are saving so much money why their taxes are so high.
Rodger Read
Clearfield