Wysox proposing tax increase to provide employee health insurance

WYSOX – Wysox Township will vote next month on a half mill property tax increase with its budgets in order to provide health insurance to its employees.

According to Supervisor Chairman Bill Them, the cost will be $60,000 to cover four employees, which will help attract new employees when needed and bring the township more in line with others in the marketplace that could attract talent. The half mill increase will bring in around $30,000 – around a $50 increase on a property assessed at $100,000 – and Them said the township's revenues can cover the other half of costs.

"We have a good team here. We want to keep them happy. We don't want them looking for other jobs that offer health insurance," Them said.

The township's property tax is currently 3.5 mills, with the half mill going to its fire department.

Supervisor Frank Hoffman said he was surprised that the township didn't offer health insurance previously, and said it was a positive step forward.

"It's a shame to work with someone and get those people to a point where they work as a team and then you see them leave. As a school administrator, I used to see it all of the time," Hoffman said. " … We really want to hold our team together – our road crew, our secretary, our manager/zoning officer. They're just doing a great job."

Even with raising the township's taxes, Supervisor T Thompson noted that they are still in the lower 20th percentile for millage rates among communities in the county.

The budget proposals include a general fund of $689,025, $100,100 for liquid fuels savings, $100,000 in Act 13 natural gas impact fee money, $171,552.86 in American Rescue funds and $200,121.40 in capital reserve funds.

Township supervisors will meet again at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 103 Lake Road.