Carbon County residents will not see an increase in county real estate taxes in 2017.

On Thursday, the board of commissioners approved the final 2017 spending plan, which totals $59.6 million and holds the millage rate at 10.25.That means that a homeowner of a home assessed at $50,000 will again pay $512.50 in county real estate taxes next year.The 2017 spending plan has three components: The operating fund, $42,715, 262 (up from $42,576,007 this year); capital projects, $14,144,274 (up from $509,086 this year); and special funds, $2,797,717 (up from $2,505,072 this year).Jeff Weiss, the county’s financial consultant, said that the budget has a 1.7 percent increase in the general fund, but said there are no real significant changes from the current spending plan in place.The biggest change that took place in the upcoming budget is the capital project fund, which jumped as a result of the county’s move in refinancing 2011 bonds to free up $14 million to be split between constructing new office space on Susquehanna Street and paying off the bonds.But balancing the budget is hard considering a number of factors are unknown when the budget is created.“The biggest problem in any budget that we face is the (tax) appeal on large properties have been killing us,” Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said. “Every time a party appeals a tax assessment, it costs us a lot of money so it pretty much flatlined the revenue.“We were able to maintain the expenses with no real increase in tax revenue, but a lot of that hinges on the state and federal budgets at the end of June and September. If they cut there, then we will have major issues.”Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said he was glad the county was able to hold the line on taxes for another year when the trend in neighboring counties is to raise taxes to make ends meet.“We held the line and controlled our spending,” he said.The last time Carbon raised taxes was in 2013.Other businessIn other matters, the commissioners approved the Community Development Block Grant project contract with Northeast Industrial Services Corporation of Shamokin for the demolition of the former Elks building in Lansford.The project, which includes demolishing the building and siding the side of the remaining structure that it is connect to, will cost $118,748.The board also awarded CDBG project contracts for Banks Township’s water/sewer improvement project on Cherry Street to M&J Excavation Inc. of Bloomsburg at a cost of $53,571.88; and Palmerton’s demolition and clearing of 3 and 4 Hillside Ave., to Todd Green of Palmerton at a cost of $23,800.