Scott Township set its new tax millage rate last month, but could decrease it more in a few months when more accurate assessment numbers come in.
The township lowered its millage rate from 5 mills to 4.457, but that number is off a conservative estimate of what the property assessment is before all the appeals are heard.
Township Manager Denise Fitzgerald said they will probably examine the millage rate again in March or April when there are more accurate numbers available.
Allegheny County Judge Stanton Wettick Jr. allowed local municipalities an extension on ratifying their millage rate to June 15 or 10 days before their tax bills go out. That means Scott Township has five months to make a final decision.
Fitzgerald said the township still has “a lot” of appeals from home and commercial properties. That could change the assessment numbers when they get a “more realistic picture,” although it’s unclear by how much.
“We’re being very conservative because we’ve receive so many appeals,” Fitzgerald said.
Scott Township’s overall assessment went from $792 million in the previous tax year to $1.032 billion in the most recent assessment. That is a little more than a 30 percent increase.
However, the millage decrease is just above 10 percent, meaning there will likely be a larger decrease in the tax rate later this year. What that number is, however, is unknown.
“We’re not that far off,” Fitzgerald said.
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