Shamokin's financial maladies have been well documented and, depending on who you ask, the reports have been either well-deserved or somewhat overblown.
But it's the projected deficit for 2012 of the city's neighbor that may have caught some by surprise, with Coal Township planning to enact a slight tax increase, coupled with a withdrawal from its reserve fund, to make up for an approximate $190,000 shortfall.
The budget details for each are representative of a challenging time for local municipalities.
Balanced, but ...
Both municipalities' anticipated expenses and revenue for 2012 are balanced: Shamokin is planning for a $2.570 million budget, down 2 percent from 2011; Coal Township has a $2.825 million spending plan, up 3 percent.
Both are enacting tax increases.
A 1 mill increase is planned for Shamokin's recreation tax, raising about $35,000 after deductions for expected delinquencies. That extra revenue will result in anticipated tax revenue of $1,855,656.50 for 2012, up more than 2 percent from the current budget year.
Coal Township could generate approximately $26,000 through a 3/5 mill rise in the real estate tax and another $34,000 through a 25 percent increase in the occupational assessment tax - the latter increase tempered by the low amount of money each percentage point generates.
Adding in the scheduled increase, the township's anticipated tax revenue for 2012 is at $1,778,500, up more than 3 percent from 2011.
That tax revenue is expected to rise in both municipalities isn't wholly attributed to their scheduled tax increases. The revenue factors in what the tax collectors expect to collect, which can vary from year to year depending on how many people pay up.
Big spending
Each dedicate a significant portion of their spending plans toward the basic operations of the police departments (including salaries, equipment and the like, but not insurance and fringe benefits): 33 percent in Coal Township and 36 percent in Shamokin.
The same can be said for their respective street departments: 20 percent in Shamokin and 28 percent in Coal Township, combining the township's separate line items for its street department and its special highway fund.
Add in the health insurance and related benefits for the police and street departments and those respective portions of the city and township budgets balloon: 46 percent and 25 percent for police and streets in Shamokin; 42 percent and 34 percent in Coal Township.
All insurance and related costs across the board for both municipalities represent a major expense - about 29 percent of the township's budget while similar line items total nearly 27 percent for the city.
Shamokin's expected insurance total of $673,494.47 comes after major moves were taken to reduce those expenditures for 2012. By comparison, $810,473.87 in insurance costs made up nearly 31 percent of its $2,623,386.57 expenditures in 2011.
The city's insurance figures for 2012 could drop even lower if a pair of new secretarial positions included in the tentative budget are not filled. If these positions remain vacant, the money could remain in the general fund and be used toward other expenses.
The township's insurance and fringe benefits were reduced from the current budget year, albeit at a much lower rate than Shamokin's: from $817,540 to an anticipated $813,000 in 2012, a reducation of less than 1 percent.
Other revenues
Coal Township's gains in anticipated revenue include an increase to the cable TV franchise fee, which is up more than 16 percent to $92,000.
Service Electric pays a portion of its gross revenues for basic cable service to host municipalities. The maximum charge under state law is 5 percent, and both Shamokin and Coal Township are at the max.
The franchise fee is assessed on Service Electric customer bills.
Revenue created by street and curb permits is expected to double to $40,000. Those permits are issued by the township to utility companies when making cuts into streets and curbs to make utility repairs.
Perhaps the most significant strides have been made in recycling. The township's program is estimated to generate $120,000 in the sale of material, a 38 percent rise over 2011 and a 73 percent increase over the $32,000 taken in during 2010.
However, it's been said in the past by township officials that the recycling revenue would stay within the burgeoning program and not go to fund other facets of township government.
With the exception of the licenses and permits line item, which is estimated to increase to $61,001.33 from 2011's projected $38,377.38, much of Shamokin's revenue stream is either flat or down a bit.
Coal Township is a step ahead in the budget game as it adopted the first reading of its spending plan Nov. 10, with final adoption expected Dec. 8.
The city held a special meeting Monday to adopt a tentative budget. Another special meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15, during which a final version could be adopted.