Taxes in Bridgewater reallocate millage, Montrose Borough remains same

1-7-2026

By Lauren Royce, Editor

MONTROSE — Bridgewater Township’s taxes will not go up in 2026. The approved budget came out to $1.75 million and expected revenue sits at nearly $2 million. Connie Ely, Bridgewater Township Secretary, said the only real change is in how the mills are allocated.
“For real estate, we have a 2.60 millage rate, we have an Act 13 reduction of 2.6 mills. So, for the last, probably five years, our residents have paid no real estate taxes. And they will be doing the same this year.”
This means the mills show as 2.6, then minus 2.6 because of the reduction.
The mills for the fire protection tax will be 1.90, up from 1.75 last year, set by the United Fire Company. Instead of the .15 raise going to the residents, it goes to the equipment tax which was .60 in 2025 and will now be .45.

Ely said the equipment fund was originally 1 mill, but a few years ago fire protection mills went up. So at the time, .4 mills were taken from the equipment fund for fire protection.
“We won’t take it any lower than the .45 because that’s pretty low,” Ely said, “but we did it so that there will be no change in the amount of tax they are paying. It’s just getting allocated different ways.”
The difference between budget and expected revenue is $200,000, to be used in case of a flood or other expenditures going up.
There are also streetlight taxes and fire hydrant taxes. People within 200 feet of streetlights will be charged 48 cents per foot, no change from previous years. The money is to pay the streetlight bill. For fire hydrants, it’s within 50 feet, 12 cents per foot.
In Montrose Borough, Secretary Alyssa Sprout said the millage would remain at 18, meaning no tax raises for Borough residents either. Further information was pending at time of press.