Lehighton has reworked this year’s budget, but kept taxes level.

Council agreed last week to advertise the 2024 budget with the modification of a $1.5 million transfer from the borough’s Light & Power Department to the general fund.

Ultimately, council agreed to settle on this year’s spending plan with the following parameters:

• No tax increase, which means the millage rate will remain at 10 mills.

• Transfer $1.5 million from Light & Power Department to general fund.

• Put $40,000 toward a Public Works line item.

• Set aside enough money for the recruitment of two employees for the Light & Power Department.

• Whatever money is left over will be dispersed to those departments in need.

That came after a lengthy discussion in which several potential scenarios were floated.

“My reasoning was I just felt like we were lacking in capital funds set aside for (our) Public Works and police department fleets,” said Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky.

More specifically, Abelovsky said that in looking through the budget, she just didn’t see a lot of money set aside for a pole building for the Public Works Department.

She said several years ago, the borough had set aside $30,000 in engineering fees.

“I just didn’t want to see that $30,000 for engineering thrown away,” Abelovsky said.

Council President Grant Hunsicker asked why they couldn’t just add onto the building that’s there.

“That would be a heck of a lot less than a pole building,” Hunsicker said. “We can’t keep building new all the time.”

Hunsicker then asked where they would go with a pole building.

Councilman John Kreitz said,“ They need something done down there. “It’s much worse than it was.”

Councilman Ryan Saunders said he would like to see a price for adding onto that building.

“It would probably make more sense (to add on),” Saunders said. “It’s more cost-effective to do it that way.”

Kreitz then suggested that the borough look to begin allocating money so it can plan for things down the road.

Councilwoman Rebecca Worthy said that since the borough doubled the garbage rate, coupled with a 5% increase in the sewer rate, it wouldn’t be right to hit the taxpayers with a tax increase.

Abelovsky said it’s her hope that projects that have been discussed for the future would be considered down the road instead of falling by the wayside.

Borough Manager Dane DeWire said he was in favor of keeping a running list.

Saunders said he believes the borough needs to look at small, incremental tax increases in the future.

“We are already burdening the residents with the utilities,” Saunders said.

Kreitz countered, “We can’t allow the borough to become deplorable.”

Abelovsky said the borough is owed $406,822 from another municipality in a sewer-related matter that dates back to 1996.

Saunders said of the municipality, “They know about it. They’re aware of it.”

DeWire said he would look into it, but that he doesn’t believe the borough can consider it as income right now.

While he admitted that there’s a lot of things the borough needs, Saunders said he didn’t want to raise taxes haphazardly.

Worthy agreed with Saunders, and added that they don’t feel it’s fair to hit taxpayers three times in the same year.

Council earlier this month agreed to reopen this year’s budget. Worthy cast the sole vote in opposition.

That came after newly-seated Kreitz, Steven Hawk and David Zimmerman, won seats in November’s General Election.

Last month, borough council at a special meeting adopted this year’s budget with no millage increase, which left the millage rate at 10 mills.