Lansford Borough Council approved its proposed 2025 budget with no tax increase at a special meeting Thursday night.

“This is going to be the fourth or fifth budget with no tax increase,” Council President Bruce Markovich said. “We did have a small shortfall, but we have had a budget surplus for the last two years.

“We were able to fill that gap with the budget surplus. I’m just grateful that when we had that little bit of a surplus that we didn’t go out and spend it, because we all knew this day was going to come when we’re going to need it.”

Councilwoman Jennifer Staines had an issue with adopting the budget with the last budget meeting being canceled. She questioned how they closed a $100,000 shortfall.

“Where did the $100,000 go? Where was it taken from?” Staines asked, noting that they started with a $250,000 shortfall. “Then, we chipped it down to $100,000 the last I remember.”

Staines asked Councilman Joe Butrie if he remembered, and he knew they were at $100,000, but he wasn’t sure where they pulled the money from.

“If you look on page five (of the proposed budget), you can see it. It’s right at the bottom of the page,” Councilwoman Gwyneth Collevechio said.

Just over $84,000 was needed from the budget surplus to balance this year’s budget, Markovich said.

He said that Lacey Gonzalez of LGH Tax & Accounting, who was working on the budget with council members, found places where they could trim further.

“She just nitpicked little things, $1,000 here, $1,000 there, and got it down to $84,000,” Markovich said. “We put $84,000 from budget surplus in to close the gap. We should also be aware that the majority of that $84,000 that we are short is because we gave up licensed rentals.”

Butrie agreed on the lost income in rental licenses, as the borough used to bring in about $75,000 and only netted $11,000 this year due to change in how Lansford handles the licensing.

The borough switched from in-house collection of rental licenses and administration of the program to allowing ARRO Consulting to handle the program. The majority of the $150 fee goes to the firm, and the borough receives $25 from each rental license.

“So, that’s where that budget gap really came from because we turned that over,” Markovich said. “That’s one of the reasons we have to look at trying to get that back here.”

Council members heard a presentation earlier Thursday from Mark Pronio, a code official who developed successful rental licensing program in two Schuylkill County communities, as they look for ways to improve Lansford’s program.

Pronio also encouraged the borough to look at an amusement tax on the skills games found in many convenience stores and business in the region as a source of income.

Council approved the proposed $1.77 million budget with no objections. Council members Jack Soberick and Jay Doyle were absent.

The spending plan shows revenues of $1,265,820 from taxes; $17,000 in cable television franchise; $21,500 in fines; and $33,900 in interest, rent and royalties.

Other income includes $194,300 in intergovernmental revenues; $82,250 in charges for services; $8,240 for school crossing guard; and $62,800 in miscellaneous and other sources.

Expenditures include $276,650 for general government; $15,475 for buildings; $812,900 for police; $16,050 for fire; $46,450, code enforcement; $8,000, zoning; and $25,581, public safety/other.

Other expenses were $394,225, public works; $15,125; municipal office expenses; $38,750, miscellaneous; and $121,000 grant expense.

The budget will be available for public inspection at the borough office until final adoption next month.