Budget Basics
Budget Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
While you pay your tax bills directly to the Borough of Carlisle, the Borough actually only collects a small portion of those taxes. The rest goes to the Carlisle Area School District, Cumberland County, and the Cumberland County Library System. The budget and tax rates for the Carlisle Area School District are set by the independently elected School Board and not the Borough. The budget and tax rates for Cumberland County are set by the independently elected County Commissioners and not the Borough. The Borough has no say in either of these issues.
The Borough receives 17 cents out of every real estate tax dollar.
The Borough’s budget consists of eight funds dedicated to different services:
General Fund: Includes administration, finance, fire, police, public works, parks & recreation. Sources of revenue for the General Fund include real estate taxes, earned income taxes, local services taxes, and intergovernmental revenue.
Water Fund: Includes financing of water and related services to the Borough, its residents, businesses and various customers within the proximity of the Borough. Sources of revenue for the Water Fund include residential and business utility bills, service charges, bond proceeds, and the fund balance.
Sewer Fund: Includes financing of wastewater collection, conveyance, and treatment services for the Borough, its residents, businesses, and various customers within the proximity of the Borough. Sources of revenue for the Sewer Fund include residential and business utility bills, lab analysis charges, intergovernmental revenue, and bond proceeds.
Stormwater Management Fund: Includes financing of stormwater management and related services. The Stormwater Management Fund is financed by the Borough’s stormwater fee, which charges property owners based on the amount of impervious surface area on their property, as well as bond proceeds.
Solid Waste Fund: Includes trash and garbage removal for the Borough, its residents, and commercial establishments throughout Carlisle. Also pays for operation of the Borough’s compost facility. Sources of revenue for the Solid Waste Fund include the sale of Borough trash bags and recycling bins, as well as intergovernmental revenue.
Parking Fund: Includes the regulation and control of vehicle parking in a garage, various parking lots, and parking meters throughout the Borough. Also helps fund the Downtown Carlisle Association. Sources of revenue include proceeds from parking meters, Borough-owned parking lots, and the Pomfret Street Parking Garage.
Highway Aid Fund: Used specifically for road and pedestrian mobility projects. The sole source of funding is the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Municipal Liquid Fuels grant program.
Capital Projects Fund: This is a governmental fund used to account for financial capital outlays other than those from special assessment and proprietary funds. It is a non-operating fund and does not generate revenues.