Because of an increase in Earned Income Tax, West Penn Township’s near two-decade long streak without a tax increase remains intact.

On a unanimous vote, supervisors Monday morning adopted the 2024 budget of $2,547,051 with no tax hike.

That leaves the millage rate at 4.50 mills, a different outcome from when the board agreed last month to advertise next year’s budget with a quarter-mill increase that would have raised it to 4.75 mills.

Board Chairman Tony Prudenti said that since then, the township had an increase in its EIT.

“We worked at it hard,” Prudenti said. “It’s a very hard thing for us not to raise taxes.

“We got more in EIT money then we thought we would, so that was the reason it went back down.”

Supervisor Tim Houser, who attended his last meeting on the board, agreed.

“If it would not be for the EIT money, this township would be in dire trouble,” Houser said. “It has continued to increase, which is a good thing, and it prevents us from having to take out money from our operating reserve.”

Houser said that was attributed primarily to young people who are moving into the township for whom he thanked for allowing the township to be able to keep the tax rate in line, as he noted he was originally concerned about the township’s budget during COVID.

“To my surprise, the EIT money wasn’t really affected by COVID,” said Houser, who noted that since then many “young people work at home on their computers.”

Township treasurer Karen Wittig previously told the board the shortfall was at just about $100,000, and that a quarter-mill increase would generate about $32,000. Before that, the projected shortfall was $189,000.

The last time the township had a tax increase was in 2005.