READING, Pa. – Property owners in the City of Reading are getting some good news. There is no tax increase in a proposed 2027 budget which was introduced during a special Reading City Council meeting Monday night.

Still, there are no guarantees this early in the budget process, as council has scheduled weekly budget meetings over the next several weeks before a preliminary budget will be adopted.

Mayor Eddie Moran said he was proud to present the draft of the 2027 operating budget of $129.25 million and a $12.43 million capital improvement budget.

“Twelve months ago, we faced an intimidating road ahead, but under our shared commitment, we examined every dollar, eliminated waste and held the line because on that commitment, we made real measurable progress,” Moran said. “We proved that when city hall operates with purpose and grit, this community can come up swinging. Today, we’re not slowing down, and we are not looking back.” 

“My objective for this year is clear: building our future, block by block,” Moran announced. “That promise begins with an ironclad commitment to our residents. We recognize that last year we had to ask our taxpayers to shoulder a difficult tax increase, and we are genuinely grateful to this entire community for stepping up during that challenging moment. Because of that shared sacrifice and strict discipline, we do not need to raise taxes this year. We’re keeping our property tax at a rate of 19.21 mills.”

Property owners currently pay $19.21 for each $1,000 of assessed property value, or $1,921 for a property assessed at $100,000.

“City hall will live within its means to fund our priorities responsibly,” Moran added.

Safety

Moran said safety remains a baseline of everything the city does, with 60 cents of every dollar going directly to public safety.

Later, during a Committee of the While meeting, council President Donna Reed said she would like to see more police officers added to the department,

“I would like to see if there is any kind of room to allot for additional police officers,” Reed said. “There may be some massaging that can be done with other positions to open for maybe 10 to 15 more police officers, even if it means considering a slight tax increase.”

“I know that’s not what the administration is looking at, but I think more than anything, our citizenry wants to feel safe and sound,” Reed said, “and I think that ties into economic development and community building.”

Managing Director Jack Gombach noted that in 2027 the city anticipates hitting the full complement of police officers, which is 175.

Progress

Moran concluded his budget presentation by saying the story of Reading is already changing and that the city refuses to accept defeat.

“We all remember several years ago when the stories and the headlines about the city of Reading said we were the poorest city, and that we had no hope,” Moran said. “Those days have changed dramatically.”

“You see the progress across our communities, in our active neighborhood parks, and in the families choosing to build their lives on our blocks,” he said. “I look forward to work with City Council and the members of our community, who are just as important, to pass the responsible budget that builds our future, block by block.”

Next steps

During upcoming public budget meetings, Reed said it is the custom of council to review every budgeted item, line by line with the administration and department heads.

Councilmember Jaime Baez Jr. thanked the administration for presenting a budget with no tax increase, and said many of the city’s residents will appreciate that.