The State College Borough Council unanimously approved the 2013 budget Monday night.
The budget included no tax increases, which State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham said was one reason the budget passed smoothly and without public comment during council's Dec. 3 meeting.
The budget included a $425,000 increase in funding to the State College Police Department and a smaller increase to the administrative section. The department is authorized to have 65 full-time staff, but currently does not meet that number, which the budget addresses, Goreham said.
Borough Communications Coordinator Courtney Hayden said the borough has a list of qualified candidates for the police department, two of whom are currently in training.
The administration section of the budget includes an addition of $17,000 to provide a mayoral assistant, which Goreham previously stated would be helpful for the borough. Council also voted at their meeting, 5-2, to give formal notice to the Centre Region Council of Government of their intent to withdraw from their Code program, which inspects and maintains rental and housing properties.
Council members Thomas Daubert, Catherine Dauler, James Rosenberger, Ronald Filippelli and Sarah Klinetob voted to inform the COG of intent to withdraw. Council member Peter Morris and Council President Donald Hahn voted against the intent to withdraw.
Some council members noted that informing the COG of intent to withdraw did not bind them to do so, leaving them a year for discussion.
“I agree we have very short notice to consider this, but we have a year to get a through response from GOG that would give them the opportunity to sway us from our decision to leave,” Filippelli said.
Council is required to give formal notice to withdraw by the end of this calendar year.
Goreham said the main concern was the efficiency of these programs.
“We all know that there are buildings here that do not meet [Code program] standards,” Goreham said.
Goreham said that these duties may be better enforced through a local agency.
Council also passed motions to sponsor a renewal application for the youth aid panel program, enact an ordinance authorizing property assessments for the Downtown State College Improvement District and adopt a resolution recognizing the Penn State football team’s success this semester.
