Lehighton adopts proposed budget with no increase

Lehighton residents aren’t likely to face an increase in their municipal tax rates next year.

On a unanimous measure, borough council agreed at a special meeting on Tuesday to adopt the 2018 proposed budget with no increase.

If council were to approve next year’s budget with no tax increase, it would leave the millage rate unchanged at 7.5 mills.

A homeowner with a home assessed at $50,000 would again pay $375 to the borough next year in property taxes.

Borough Manager Nicole Beckett indicated that piecing together next year’s budget was a “very extensive process.”

Beckett said she met with all department heads, and as a result, the borough was able to come up with $53,636 in budget cuts by way of administration ($7,500); police department ($25,500); fire department ($1,636); emergency management ($1,000); public works ($6,500); recreation ($7,000); borough annex ($2,000); and employee benefits ($2,500).

Beckett told council the school district has received funding for a school resource officer, and asked if council was interested in working with the district.

Councilman Scott Rehrig said he believes the school district should be responsible for 100 percent of the funding.

However, council said police Chief Brian Biechy could discuss the position with the district.

Beckett told council that $218,450 was needed to balance the budget.

On a 5-2 vote, council agreed to take $178,450, or 2.17 mills, from the borough’s electric fund, to balance the budget. Council members Joe Flickinger and Lisa Perry were opposed.

Council President Grant Hunsicker said he was reluctant to raise millage.

However, Perry said she doesn’t believe council should continue to put off a tax increase, and suggested that it look to do incremental increases.

Rehrig said that everyone is “going to have to be more transparent.”

Councilwoman Helen Torok said, “I’m suggesting that further research be done to increase revenues.”

Torok added the research should be done “to see where we are not looking for revenue.”

Also on Monday, council decided against additional millage for the fire department.

At a special meeting last week, fire Chief Patrick Mriss said the department needs apparatus replacement.

The four pieces of equipment discussed were Engines 512 and 514, Ladder 523 and Rescue 551.

It was noted that in 2001, council increased real estate taxes by a half-mill of real estate to fund future fire equipment purchases. However, equipment prices have significantly increased since then.

Council is scheduled to grant the budget final adoption when it meets at 7 p.m. Dec. 18.

Last year, council adopted this year’s budget with no millage increase.

The last time residents saw their municipal tax rate raised was in 2014, when council approved a 1-mill increase.