Dauphin County Administration Building
Dauphin County has a budget for the new year, which includes a tax increase for the first time in two decades.
The county commissioners on Wednesday approved a $222 million general fund budget for 2025, including a 21.8% property tax hike to address a budget deficit.
This is the first increase in the county portion of the property tax in 20 years.
The tax represents a 1.5 mill increase, taking the millage rate from 6.8 to 8.3 mills, a measure that county officials said is needed to fill a budget deficit. Without imposing the raise, officials said that the county would run out of general fund money this year.
According to Budget and Finance Director Chris Davis, the county originally projected that there would be a $54 million budget deficit for 2025, but reduced that number to $15.9 million using cost-saving measures, debt restructuring and increasing revenue.
“We have taken steps to restructure debt; we figured out a way to cut expenses; we figured out a way to eliminate positions; we figured out a way to make investments and see returns,” said Commissioner George Hartwick. “We’ve also figured out a way to put ourselves in a positive outlook moving forward. I would hope that this attempt to address the structural budget deficit won’t have to be revisited for a couple of future years.”
Hartwick said the county’s goal would be to not have to raise taxes again in the following year.
The budget and tax increase both passed by a vote of 2-1 with Commissioner Mike Pries voting against both.
This year’s spending plan is an increase from 2024’s budget of $220.7 million.
Salaries and benefits make up the largest portion, over half, of the budget. Salary increases are included for all union contract employees in line with the terms of their collective bargaining agreements. Non-union workers will get a 2.95% raise. The budget established a $16 per hour minimum wage for all county employees.
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