Annville Twp. workshops 2026 budget, considers possible 0.5-mill tax increase

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Early 2026 budget drafts for Annville Township propose an 0.5-mill property tax increase to 6.29 mills for next year, township manager Candie Johnson said at a special budget workshop meeting of commissioners Thursday evening, Oct. 23.

The township’s preliminary draft budget for 2026 is $3.06 million. The board will vote on a final budget at its Dec. 2 regular meeting. At its November meeting, the board is expected to vote to advertise that final budget for public review and feedback before it is passed.

Revenues from the proposed 6.29 property tax mill rate would total $1.57 million in 2026, up from $1.44 million in 2025 under the 5.79 mill rate, which itself was raised by 1 mill from 2024.

Read More: Annville Township commissioners approve 2025 budget, honor Chief Dugan

Local taxes would add $753,000, licenses and permits would add another $74,500, and fines would add $1,500. The township anticipates $62,853 in shared revenue funds from the state next year.

The township’s first Community Development Block Grant request since 2020 would bring in a potential $385,200 for street improvements if approved by the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development.

Read More: Annville Twp. board ratifies $385,200 CDBG request for street improvements

Johnson stressed that the draft fiscal 2026 budget in the Oct. 23 special workshop is a preliminary proposal. There certainly will be revisions before the township’s five commissioners vote to approve a final budget towards the end of the year.

Public safety is the township’s largest expense in the draft, accounting for more than a third of the budget, at $1.248 million. The township’s contribution to the Western Lebanon County Regional Police Department would be $1,300 lower than in 2025, “down the first time in a long time,” board member Henri Lively said.

Annville Township merged its police department in May 2024 with the Palmyra Borough police department to form the Western Lebanon County Regional Police Department, the first of its kind in Lebanon County.

Among the budgetary issues, commissioners will consider through November and early December is whether to split sewer service rates between residential and commercial customers, and how to better enforce access to the Annville Township Residential Drop-Off Center, which requires a $100 annual access card, but has lost $40,000 this year, according to Johnson.

Currently North and South Annville township residents can also purchase access cards, although for a higher fee than Annville Township residents.

“So it might be incumbent upon us to consider just opening it up to Annville residents,” said board member Anthony Perrotto.

Earlier in October, a local mobile home park resident who has used the recycling center 88 times in 2025 was caught on camera letting in other trucks behind him with his access card, according to Johnson.

The next regular board meeting is at 6 p.m. Nov. 5, a Wednesday instead of the usual Tuesday, because of Nov. 4 elections.