Taxes and Fees
Real Estate Taxes
| Municipal Real Estate Tax | 3.42 mills |
| Municipal Street Light Tax | 0.265 mills |
Real Estate Assessment Fees
| Stormwater (MS4) Assessment Fee | $93 per ERU per year through 2023 |
Act 511 Taxes
| Earned Income Tax | 1% on all earned income (half goes to Borough, half to School District) |
| Local Services Tax | $52 per person gainfully employed in Myerstown Borough |
Taxes Levied by Other Authorities
School Taxes
The budget and tax rates for the Eastern Lebanon County School District are set by the independently elected School Board and not the Borough. The Borough has no say in these issues.
County Taxes
The budget and tax rates for Lebanon County are set by the independently elected County Commissioners and not the Borough. The Borough has no say in these issues.
Tax Collection
Real Estate Taxes are collected by the Lebanon County Treasurer's Office.
Mailing Address:
Lebanon County Treasurer
Room 103, Municipal Building
400 South 8th Street
Lebanon, PA 17042-6794
Phone Number:
(717) 228-4420
General E-mail:
lebcotreas@lebcnty.org
Mailing Address:
400 S 8th Street
Lebanon, PA 17042
Phone Numbers:
Lebanon County Office: (717) 272-3770
Taxpayer Helpline: 1-888-328-0565
Keystone Collections Group: (724) 978-0300
Online Inquiry:
www.keystonecollects.com/contactus/contactus
Exempt Properties
Many types of properties in the Borough are exempt under State Law from paying real estate taxes. These exempted properties include schools, colleges, churches, charities, and other government agencies. While these property owners add to the vitality of our community, they do not necessarily contribute money to support government services. However, some of these agencies make a voluntary contribution in support of the Borough's services regardless of their tax exempt status. We encourage all tax exempt property owners to donate to Borough services every year.
Myerstown Borough 2024 Fee Schedule
All Fines and Fees below were adopted and approved by Borough Council via Resolution 2024-11 on January 2, 2024.Administration & Finance Department Charges
| Abandoned, Vacant, and/or Foreclosure Property Registration Fee | $100.00 |
| Late Fee on Invoices | 10% of the amount owed, per month |
| Photocopies | $0.25 per page |
| Postage - Handling Fee | $2.50 per unit |
| Postage - Mailing Fee | Actual Cost + Handling Fee |
| Publications - 2012 Mini-Comprehensive Plan | $25.00 per copy |
| Publications - 2012 Mini-Comprehensive Plan + Future Land Use & Development Map | $30.00 per copy |
| Publications - Sanitary Sewer Specification | $30.00 per copy |
| Publications - Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance | $25.00 per copy |
| Publications - Zoning Ordinance | $25.00 per copy |
| Publications - Returned Check Charge | $40.00 per check |
| Special Request Work - Borough Manager | $100.00 per hour + Out-of-pocket costs |
| Special Request Work - Administrative Research | $65.00 per hour + Out-of-pocket costs |
Code Enforcement & Zoning Fees
| Lawn Mowing Fees (third party) | Actual Cost plus 10% |
| Snow Emergency/Declared Emergency Violation | $50.00 |
| General Parking Ticket Violation | $25.00 |
| Vehicle Storage Fee | $20.00 per day |
| Vehicle Towing Fee | Actual Cost |
| Violation Delivery Service Charge for Sheriff, Constable, or Police | $50.00 per attempt |
| Zoning Determination Letter | $75.00 |
| Zoning Permit Application | $75.00 + $3.00 per each additional $1,000.00 of total project cost (rounded to nearest $1,000.00) |
| Zoning Hearing Board Appeal Fees - Residential Application for Special Exception, Variance, Appeal of the Decision of a Zoning Officer | $1,000.00 plus Applicable Costs** |
| Zoning Hearing Board Appeal Fees - Non-Residential Application for Special Exception, Variance, Appeal of the Decision of a Zoning Officer | $1,250.00 plus Applicable Costs** |
| Validity Challenge of the Zoning Ordinance | $1,250.00 plus Applicable Costs** |
** Applicable Costs may include, but are not limited to: Borough Administration fees, Stenographer, advertisement costs, the costs to change the Official Map of the Borough if the change is approved, and any and all applicable fees. The Borough will estimate the costs at the time of application, and the application fee and estimated costs shall be paid to the Borough prior to the Borough initiating the process. In the event that the costs exceed the initial estimate, the applicant shall pay the difference, and if the costs are less than the estimate, the excess money shall be returned to the applicant. The board or the hearing officer, as the case may be, shall keep a stenographic record of the proceedings. The appearance fee for a stenographer shall be shared equally by the applicant and the board. The cost of the original transcript shall be paid by the board if the transcript is ordered by the board or hearing officer or shall be paid by the person appealing from the decision of the board if such appeal is made, and in either event the cost of additional copies shall be paid by the person requesting such copy or copies. In other cases the party requesting the original transcript shall bear the cost thereof.
*** The Borough will estimate the costs at the time of application, and the application fee and estimated costs shall be paid to the Borough prior to the Borough initiating the process. In the event that the costs exceed the initial estimate, the applicant shall pay the difference.
Construction Code Fees
The Myerstown Borough Construction Code Ordinance is administered and enforced by the Borough’s appointed third-party Building Code Official (BCO):
Associated Building Inspections, LLC
1647 North Reading Road
Stevens, PA 17578
(717) 733.1654
All related fees, including fees for permits, inspection fees, plan review fees, etc. are set by the Borough’s appointed third-party Building Code Official.
Fire Prevention and Fire Protection Fees
| Initial Smoke Detector Inspection | No Fee Assessed |
| Re-Inspection of Smoke Detector in accordance with §7-206 of the Myerstown Borough Code of Ordinances | $75.00 per inspection |
| Fee if Fire Prevention Officer or Fire Department is dispatched to the scene of display fireworks or pyrotechnic/flame effects display | Actual Cost |
Fire Insurance Escrow Fees (Act 98)
In accordance with §7-504 of the Myerstown Borough Code of Ordinances, the following fee schedule applies to activities or services provided pursuant to the Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Escrow Act (Act 98 of 1992).
| Certification of delinquent taxes and other charges | $50.00 |
| Filing Fee for the establishment of an escrow account | $125.00 |
| Service Charge for expenditures from the fund and any interest generated by the fund | 12% |
Community Center Fees
| Room 3 (Meeting Room) Rental - Up to 4 Hours | $100.00 per use |
| Room 3 (Meeting Room) Rental - Over 4 Hours | $200.00 per use |
| Second Floor Room Rental - Up to 4 Hours | $100.00 per use |
| Second Floor Room Rental - Over 4 Hours | $200.00 per use |
| Second Floor Room Rental - 1 Month | $350.00 per month |
| Second Floor Room Rental - Over 1 month | See Borough Manager - requires Council approval and lease agreement |
| Civic Organization Rate for 2nd Fl. Room Rental | $25.00 per use |
| Gymnasium Rental - Up to 4 Hours | $75.00 per use |
| Gymnasium Rental - Over 4 Hours | $125.00 per use |
| Civic Organization Rate for Gymnasium Rental | $25.00 per use |
Handicap Parking
| On-Street Handiccap Parking Space | $50.00 |
| Annual Renewal of On-Street Handicap Parking Space | $5.00 |
License Fees
| Soil and Snow Excavation and Removal License | $40.00 |
Right-to-Know Law Fee Schedule
The following fee schedule is established by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR) according to Section 1307 of the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. This fee schedule is reviewed biannually. The following fee schedule was adopted by the OOR on October 15, 2018.
| Black & White Copies | $0.25 per copy1 |
| Color Copies | $0.50 per copy2 |
| Specialized Documents3 | Actual Cost |
| Records Delivered via Email | No Fee4 |
| CD or DVD | Actual Cost up to $3.00 |
| Flash Drive | Actual Cost |
| Facsimile | Actual Cost5 |
| Other Media | Actual Cost |
| Redaction | No Fee6 |
| Conversion to Paper | $0.25 per page7 |
| Photographing a Record | No Fee8 |
| Postage | Actual Cost of USPS First-Class Postage |
| Certification | $5.00 per record9 |
Footnotes:
- A "copy" is either a single-sided copy, or one side of a double-sided copy, on 8.5"x11" or 8.5"x14" paper.
- A "copy" is either a single-sided copy, or one side of a double-sided copy, on 8.5"x11" or 8.5"x14" paper. Note that a requester may ask for black and white copies even if the original is in color and color copies are available.
- Including, but not necessarily limited to, non-standard sized documents and blueprints.
- If a requester asks to receive records which require redactions in electronic format, an agency may print the records to provide for secure redaction, then scan them in for delivery by email. Accordingly, the agency may charge the fees noted above for either B&W or color copies, as appropriate.
- If an agency must print records to send them by facsimile, the agency may charge the fees noted above for B&W copies.
- If a requester seeks records requiring redaction, an agency may copy or print the records to provide for secure redaction. Accordingly, the agency may charge the fees noted above for either B&W or color copies, as appropriate.
- If a record is only maintained electronically or in other non-paper media, duplication fees shall be limited to the lesser of the fee for duplication on paper or the fee for duplication in the original media, unless the requester specifically requests for the record to be duplicated in the more expensive medium. See §1307(d).
- This assumes the requester is using his or her own camera, such as a cellphone camera, to photograph the records. See Muenz v. Township of Reserve, OOR Dkt. AP 2015-1021, 2015 PA O.O.R.D. LEXIS 1176. If redaction is required prior to the requester being granted access to photograph records, an agency may copy or print the records to provide for secure redaction. Accordingly, the agency may charge the fees noted above for either B&W or color copies, as appropriate.
- Under the RTKL, an agency may impose "reasonable fees for official certification of copies if the certification is at the behest of the requester and for the purpose of legally verifying the public record." The OOR recommends no more than $5 per record to certify a public record. Certification fees do not include notarization fees.
Additional Notes:
- All fees established herein may be waived at the discretion of the Borough.
- Medium Requested: A record being provided to a requester shall be provided in the medium requested if it exists in that medium; otherwise, it shall be provided in the medium in which it exists. See § 701.
- Inspection of Redacted Records: If a requester wishes to inspect, rather than receive copies of, records which contain both public and non-public information, the Borough may redact the non-public information. The Borough may not charge the requester for the redaction itself. However, the Borough may charge (in accordance with the OOR’s Official Fee Structure) for any copies it must make in order to securely redact the material before allowing the requester to view the records. If, after inspecting the records, the requester chooses to obtain the copies, no additional fee may be charged.
- Enhanced Electronic Access: If the Borough offers enhanced electronic access to records in addition to making the records accessible for inspection and duplication by a requester, the Borough may establish user fees specifically for the provision of the enhanced electronic access. The user fees for enhanced electronic access may be a flat rate, a subscription fee for a period of time, a per-transaction fee, a fee based on the cumulative time of system access, or any other reasonable method and any combination thereof. Such fees shall not be established with the intent or effect of excluding persons from access to records or duplicates thereof or of creating profit for the Borough. NOTE: Fees for enhanced electronic access must be reasonable and must be pre-approved by the OOR.
- Fee Limitations: Except as otherwise provided by statute, the RTKL states that no other fees may be imposed unless the Borough necessarily incurs costs for complying with the request, and such fees must be reasonable. No fee may be imposed for the Borough’s review of a record to determine whether the record is a public record subject to access under the RTKL. No fee may be charged for searching for or retrieval of documents. The Borough may not charge staff time or salary for complying with a RTK request. No fee may be charged for the Borough’s response letter.
- Prepayment: Prior to granting a request for access in accordance with the RTKL, the Borough may require a requester to prepay an estimate of the fees authorized under this section if the fees required to fulfill the request are expected to exceed $100. Once the request is fulfilled and prepared for release, the OOR recommends that the Borough obtain payment prior to releasing the records.
Parks & Recreation Department Charges
| Pavilion Rental - Recreation Area - Upper Pavilion | $30.00 per use |
| Pavilion Rental - Recreation Area - Lower Pavilion, West (without electricity) | $50.00 per use |
| Pavilion Rental - Recreation Area - Lower Pavilion, West (with electricity) | $75.00 per use |
| Electricity Box Key Deposit | $10.00 (refunded upon return of key) |
| Pavilion Rental - Recreation Area - East | $50.00 per use |
| Field Rental - Private Organizations | $250.00 per day |
| Field Rental - Civic Organizations | No Cost (paperwork still required) |
Permit Fees
| Curb and Sidewalk Replacement Permit w/ Inspection Fee | $75.00 |
| Display Fireworks or Pyrotechnic/Flame Effects Display Permit | $50.00 |
| Dumpster Permit (30 days) | $30.00 |
| Dumpster Permit Renewal (30 days, multiple renewals allowed) | $20.00 |
| Driveway Permit - Onto State Highway | Contact PennDOT |
| Pod Storage Container Permit (30 days) | $50.00 |
| Pod Storage Container Permit Renewal (30 days, one time only) | $70.00 |
| Pole and Guy Anchor Installation Permit | $15.00 per pole |
| Sidewalk Closing Permit | $30.00 |
| Sidewalk Construction Permit (new sidewalk) | $30.00 for each 40 feet of length |
| Sidewalk Closing Permit | $30.00 |
| Soliciting Permit - Transient Retail (Selling goods and/or services) - One Day | $20.00 |
| Soliciting Permit - Transient Retail (Selling goods and/or services) - One Week | $35.00 |
| Soliciting Permit - Transient Retail (Selling goods and/or services) - One Month | $45.00 |
| Soliciting Permit - Transient Retail (Selling goods and/or services) - One Year | $100.00 |
| Soliciting Permit - Transient Retail - Each additional person | $10.00 |
| Soliciting Permit - Handbill Distribution (distribution of advertising material by hand) - Single Distribution | $5.00 |
| Soliciting Permit - Handbill Distribution (distribution of advertising material by hand) - Periodic Distribution | $30.00 |
| Street Opening or Excavation Permit | $50.00 |
| Street Opening or Excavation Permit Inspection Fee | $35.00 |
Property Maintenance Department Inspection Fees
The following fee schedule applies to activities and services performed by the Department of Property Maintenance Inspection in carrying out its responsibilities under the International Property Maintenance Code of the Borough of Myerstown.
The following fee schedule also applies to activities and services performed by the Code Official or other Borough representative in carrying out responsibilities necessary to enforce any other property maintenance ordinances of the Borough of Myerstown.
The fees in the following schedule shall be charges against the Owners of the premises and/or any Operators or Occupants of the premises who are found to be in violation of the provisions of the International Property Maintenance Code of the Borough of Myerstown, or any other property maintenance ordinances of the Borough of Myerstown.
| Initial Property Inspection | No Fee Assessed |
| Follow-Up Inspection if Compliance is Gained | No Fee Assessed |
| Follow-Up Inspection if Compliance is NOT Gained | $75.00 per Inspection |
| Follow-Up Inspection by Third Party/Technical Consultant | Actual Cost |
| Code Enforcement Legal Costs | Actual Cost* |
| Code Enforcement Court Costs | Actual Cost* |
| Code Enforcement Administrative Costs | Actual Cost* |
| Code Official Hourly Rate | Actual Cost* |
| Code Official Travel Rate | Actual Cost* |
Payment of fees in the above schedule shall be due to the Borough within thirty (30) days of the date of the delivery of the invoice to the responsible party or parties, and if not paid within the thirty (30) days, the party or parties shall pay to the Borough interest from the due date to the date paid at the legal rate allowable under the law. The party or parties who are subject to the violation notice could be subject to additional charges for fines, penalties, attorneys’ fees and other costs if legal action is required before the District Judge or the Court of Common Pleas of Lebanon County to correct the violation.
Appeals Board Hearing Fees
| Zoning Hearing Board Appeal Hearing Fees | $1,000.00 plus Applicable Costs |
| IPMC Board of Appeals Hearing Fees | $1,000.00 plus Applicable Costs |
| UCC Board of Appeal Hearing Fees | $1,000.00 plus Applicable Costs |
Costs may include, but are not limited to: Borough attorneys’ fees, Administration fees, advertisement costs, Stenographer, the costs to change the Official Map of the Borough if the change is approved.
The Borough will estimate the costs at the time of application, and the application fee and estimated costs shall be paid to the Borough prior to the Borough initiating the process. In the event that the costs exceed the initial estimate, the applicant shall pay the difference, and if the costs are less than the estimate, the excess money shall be returned to the applicant.
The board or the hearing officer, as the case may be, shall keep a stenographic record of the proceedings. The appearance fee for a stenographer shall be shared equally by the applicant and the board. The cost of the original transcript shall be paid by the board if the transcript is ordered by the board or hearing officer or shall be paid by the person appealing from the decision of the board if such appeal is made, and in either event the cost of additional copies shall be paid by the person requesting such copy or copies. In other cases the party requesting the original transcript shall bear the cost thereof.
Public Works Department Charges| Equipment Use - Air Compressor | $40 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Backhoe/Loader | $60 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Bucket Truck | $70 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Chainsaw | $25 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Core Drilling (0 to 4) | $40 per core |
| Equipment Use - Core Drilling (5 or more) | $25 per core |
| Equipment Use - Crack Sealing Machine | $100 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Dump Truck - Large | $70 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Dump Truck - Small - With Plow | $60 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Dump Truck - Small - Without Plow | $50 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Generator | $30 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Lawn Mower - Hand | $35 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Lawn Mower - Riding | $50 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Pickup Truck | $50 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Pump (3 inch) | $40 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Roller | $60 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Saw - Cut-off | $30 per hour + cost of blades |
| Equipment Use - Saw - Walk-behind | $50 per hour + cost of blades |
| Equipment Use - Snow Blower - Manual | $35 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Jumping Tamper | $40 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Vibrating Tamper | $35 per hour |
| Equipment Use - Weed Wacker | $25 per hour |
| Lawn Mowing Fees | $100 |
| Signs for Purchase | Actual Cost plus 12% |
| Signs for Traffic Control Use | $50 per day |
| Temporary "No Parking" Sign | $5 per sign |
| Special Request Work - Dept. Supervisor | $75 per hour |
| Special Request Work - Maintenance Worker | $40 per hour |
| Special Request Work - Technical Service | $30 per hour |
Residential Rental License & Inspection Fees
| Annual Administration Fee | $75.00 per unit |
| Follow-Up Inspection Fee (Borough Code Official) | $50.00 per inspection |
| Inspection Fee (third party) | Actual Cost |
| License Reinstatement Fee | $25.00 |
| Appeal Fee | $200.00 |
Short-Term Rental License & Inspection Fees
| Short-Term Rental License Application Fee | $50.00 |
| Short-Term Rental License Renewal Fee | $25.00 |
| Inspection Fee (Borough Code Official) | $50.00 |
| Inspection Fee (third party) | Actual Cost |
| Appeal Fee | $200.00 |
Solicitor Fees
| Borough Solicitor Hourly Rate | $175 per hour |
Subdivision and Land Development Charges
| Planning Module Review | $300 per plan |
| Subdivision Fee | $100 per plan + 10% |
| Excavator's Inspection | $50 |
| Major Subdivision | Escrow Deposit |
| Minor Subdivision | $1,000 |
If the cost of reviewing the subdivision exceeds the amount of the fee which the sub-divider remits to the Borough, the sub-divider shall, prior to the Borough approval of the Final Plan, pay the Borough the amount in excess of the fee for the costs which were expended in reviewing the subdivision. No land development plan or subdivision plan shall be approved unless all fees have been paid in full.
Wastewater Department Charges
| Sewer Billing Certification Fee | $10.00 per bill |
| Sewer Flushing Unit Use | $75.00 per hour |
| 6" Pump Set-up Fee | $150.00 |
| 6" Pump Use | $75.00 per hour |
| Pick-up Truck and Plow with Operator | $75.00 per hour |
| Sewer User Charges* - First 5,000 gallons | $41.00 per quarter |
| Sewer User Charges* - Each 1,000 gallons over 5,000 | $10.15 per quarter |
| Debt Service Fee (per Equivalent Dwelling Unit [EDU]) | $100.00 per quarter |
| Water Meter Use | $25.00 |
| Sewer Connection Inspection | $25.00 |
| Tapping Fees - New Connection | $2,060.00 per tap |
*Calculated by water consumption as measured by water meter. Water used to fill swimming pools can be deducted from the sewer billing calculation based upon measuring water consumption with a Borough water meter. Water meters are available at the Borough Office. In order for this to be beneficial pool should hold at least 6,000 gallons of water.
Water Authority and Wastewater Department Impact Fees
The Borough of Myerstown on behalf of itself, the Myerstown-ELCO Wastewater Treatment System, and the Myerstown Water Authority will receive impact fees from developers. The fees will be managed in the following manner.
- The fee amount will be determined by possible impact upon the organization.
- The monies will be co-mingled in an interest-bearing checking account with secondary insured investments made to maximize any current unused portion of the impact escrow until the funds are needed to cover invoices in hand.
- The accountability for the funds will be the responsibility of the Myerstown Borough administrative staff. Ten percent (10%) of any expenditure’s and ten percent (10%) of any interest earned throughout the project time will be charged to the account and paid to the Borough of Myerstown as an administrative fee.
- Mandated files:
- Letters from each organization involved outlining impact fee.
- Bank statements with deposit slips and cancelled checks attached.
- Copies of invoices marked with check numbers and dates paid.
- Calculation of administrative fees.
- Areas in which impact files are to be calculated:
| BOROUGH FEES | WASTEWATER FEES | WATER AUTHORITY FEES |
| Legal | Legal | Legal |
| Engineering | Engineering | Engineering |
| Advertising | Advertising | Advertising |
| Roadways | Resident Inspection | Resident Inspection |
| Street Lighting | ||
| Stormwater Retention Facility | ||
| Construction and Maintenance* |