After three-hour meeting on Monday night, the Joint Board of the City Council of DuBois and the Sandy Township Board of Supervisors, who are five of the seven expected incoming City Council of the New City of DuBois, decided the tax rate they will vote on next Wednesday. The meeting also covered ways to potentially lower taxes in 2027.
The timeline for the rest of the budget process.
- Nov 19: The Joint Board is legally required to make the first vote on a balanced budget to have one passed before the deadline.
- Dec 17: The final vote on the 2026 budget.
- Mid-February: The New City Council’s deadline for revising the budget if they choose to try to adjust it.
The proposed millage breakdown:
| Tax Type | Millage Rates |
| General Government | 13.825 |
| Library | 00.500 |
| Recreation | 00.340 |
| Bonded Debt | 04.500 |
| Total: | 19.165 |
The breakdown of the “General Government:”
| Subcategory | Millage Rate | What It Is |
| “Rent” Replacement | 3.50 | Tax to replace the money that was being taken from the Water and Sewer systems to balance the City budgets in the past. |
| Emergency Services Fund | 2.075 | The Fire Department |
| Capital Fund | 3.00 | Big projects |
| General Government | 4.250 | Day to Day |
The last piece of the budget that needed to be tentatively agreed on was how many mills to implement for the Capital Fund with the majority sentiment being against cutting funding and services elsewhere. $12 million, $1.2 million a year if spread evenly, is projected to be needed by the new City of DuBois.
Initially a 4 mills rate was proposed. At an estimated $350 thousand in revenue per mill that would come to $1.4 million. Enough to pay for the planned capital projects and some extra in case of any unplanned emergency repairs being needed. City Mayor Pat Reasinger suggested the possibility of only applying a 2 mill increase.
“I want to remind you that you paid cash for a building,” said Interim Co-Manager Lisa Hagberg during the meeting.
The Joint Board were put into the position of debating a potential additional four mills due to decisions made these last few years due to the City’s financial condition.
Many of the capital projects that were repeatedly put off until things improved, kicking the can down the road until the road started coming to an end. Capital projects that are unlikely to qualify for grants even if grants could be applied for and received in time for 2026. The fire departments have tankers and other apparatuses decades old that need replaced.
Hagberg added that the Joint Board used $2 million to pay cash for buildings that could have been used here. Hagberg said it was commendable, but most communities would have taken out debt. The discussions weren’t about anyone doing wrong.
“These budget numbers are so tight that it scares me,” said Hagberg.
Township Supervisor Barry Abbott and Sandy Fire Chief Jason Runyon stated that the new City of DuBois Fire Department would be willing to accept only half of the capital budget they were given. This would free up $400k, more than a mill worth of funding. Runyon stated that the fire departments hadn’t received a capital fund before so even the remaining $400 thousand would be an improvement. That would need to be rediscussed for 2027, however.
The Joint Board decided by consent vote with one or two, one of whom was Supervisor Bill Beers, to go with three mills for next week’s vote.
The meeting included plans and hopes for a possible reduction in taxes in 2027 going forward.
The Joint Board heard several plans for authorities that would allow shifting of expenses elsewhere. Such as a stormwater authority that could take over the costs and duties revolving around maintaining the storm water systems, but being able to charge fees to tax exempt properties such as schools, hospitals, and churches. Including leaf pickup, the vacuum trucks, and repaving the city’s streets under certain conditions.
