For the fifth time in six years, Lehighton Area School District's board of directors will not raise property taxes, according to a proposed 2017-18 budget presented at a finance committee meeting Monday night.

The nearly $41 million budget will be balanced with $1.86 million of the district fund balance, leaving the property tax rate at 47.88 mills for the third straight year."This has been in the five-year plan," Business Manager Brian Feick said after the finance meeting. "Since we will basically have all new schools (newly renovated or newly built) we do not need to have a high fund balance anymore. Next year we will also see a consolidation savings of over $1.2 million."Use of the fund balance would drop its total to $4.39 million following the 2017-18 school year.The consolidation savings are expected following the opening of a K-5 elementary center and closure of four existing elementary schools.Renovations at the high and middle schools have also helped Lehighton's finances."So far we saw our energy bills at those schools decrease to one-third of the previous year," Feick said. "Part of the decrease could be attributed to the warmer weather, but the energy contract that was a part of the renovations guarantees us roughly a 25 percent savings. Electricity usage has been cut to 60 percent and that is mainly due to energy efficient fixtures and equipment such as LED lighting. We have been able to get our health insurance costs under control also through collective bargaining."Salaries make up 39.6 percent of the proposed budget, benefits 28.45 percent, and other purchase services 13.17 percent, which includes transportation, and Carbon County Career and Technical Institute and Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit programs.The district will receive $16,652,237 in state funding including a $8,607,380 basic education subsidy, $1,529,419 special education subsidy, $2,646,985 in retirement reimbursement, $994,331 in PlanCon reimbursement, $1,200,092 in property tax reduction from gambling money, and $525,000 for transportation.Districts are required to have an approved final budget by June 30.