New Britain Township. Photo by James Short.
New Britain Township supervisors voted Monday night to adopt the township’s 2026 budget, approving a spending plan that holds the line on taxes and fees while maintaining funding for public safety, operations, and long-term obligations.
Township Manager Dan Fox said the final budget closely mirrors the preliminary version adopted last month, with only minor revenue adjustments following the township’s updated 2026 property assessment.
“As you know, at our last meeting we adopted the preliminary budget,” Fox said. “We did get our assessment in for 2026, which increased our revenue number by about $40,000 in real estate taxes. There were no real adjustments on the expenditure side, so the budget pretty much sits as it was presented.”
Fox emphasized that the budget does not include any tax or fee increases.
The township’s real estate tax remains at 16 mills, with the earned income tax staying at 0.5 percent for the general fund and 0.125 percent for open space. Street lighting and other fee-supported funds also remain unchanged.
“I’m pleased to announce that this budget does not raise any taxes or fees,” Fox said. “A lot of hard work went into it from all the staff and the board, and we are very proud to present this budget.”
Salary and staffing highlights
According to the adopted budget, total general fund expenditures are projected at about $7.43 million in 2026, up modestly from the 2025 projection. Salary and wage expenses across departments show incremental increases consistent with contractual obligations, staffing levels, and benefits rather than any sharp spikes.
Police services remain the township’s largest operating expense, with total police expenditures budgeted at about $3.78 million in 2026. That figure includes salaries, overtime, benefits, training, equipment, and operational costs, reflecting continued investment in public safety staffing and services.
Public works salaries and related expenses also increase modestly, driven by routine wage adjustments, equipment needs, and infrastructure maintenance. Administrative and legislative salary lines remain stable, with no outsized increases reflected in the adopted budget.
Pension and benefit costs
Pension and benefit expenses remain a significant but controlled portion of the budget. Employer-paid benefits, including pension contributions, medical insurance, and related costs, are budgeted at about $266,000 for 2026, reflecting actuarial requirements and employee participation rather than benefit expansions.
Police and non-uniformed pension obligations fluctuate year to year based on actuarial valuations and investment performance, but the 2026 budget does not reflect any sudden pension spikes or structural changes to retirement benefits.
Fire and EMS funding, volunteer incentives
Supervisors also approved a resolution supporting first responder recruitment and retention, reinforcing the township’s commitment to volunteer fire and EMS services.
Supervisor Bridget Kunakorn said the measure was an important signal of appreciation for volunteers.
“I just wanted to comment that I think this is a really important resolution to enact,” Kunakorn said. “It really shows the hard work and how much we appreciate all of our volunteer individuals for fire and EMS.”
Fox said the program functions as a permitted incentive designed to help retain volunteers.
“It’s basically a retention policy where we do a reimbursement,” he said. “It’s an incentive that we’re permitted to do to keep the volunteers.”
