Lehighton adopts budget with no tax increase

Lehighton residents won’t see a tax increase next year.

On a 6-0 vote, borough council at a special meeting on Thursday adopted the 2020 budget with no municipal tax rate increase. Council’s decision will leave the millage rate at 9.5 mills, meaning that a homeowner with a home assessed at $50,000 will again pay $475 to the borough next year in taxes.

Borough manager Nicole Beckett said that revenues are projected to come in at $4.9 million, while expenditures are also anticipated to come in at $4.9 million.

Among the expected expenditures next year are a new public works storage building, safety improvements to borough hall, and a new borough website.

Beckett noted at that meeting that the Public Works Department would like a new pole building, and also a hydro excavator.

Last December, council adopted this year’s budget with a 1.5-mill increase.

Councilman Darryl Arner was absent from the meeting.