Unexpected funds received from last year’s earned income taxes will be allocated to Walnutport police department’s part-time officers.

Borough council unanimously agreed to the measure on Thursday after it was announced the borough got back an additional $3,998 in EIT taxes than was anticipated.

Councilwoman Jennifer Wentz told council it was their decision as to how it wanted to spend that money.

“We have money left over that we were not anticipating,” Wentz said. “Because it’s got to go some place.”

Wentz stated her preference as to where she wanted to see the extra funds go.

“I’d want to see it personally go to the part-time police,” she said. “I feel most comfortable with putting it back (there).”

Wentz said that council in December approved this year’s budget with no increase in the municipal tax rate. However, in order to balance the budget and avoid a tax increase, about $20,000 was cut from the police department’s part-time police officer pool.

Additionally, council at its December meeting opted not to continue to fund the Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority. On a 6-1 vote, council passed a resolution to withdraw funding to the NL Rec Authority in 2021. Councilwoman Patrice Hunsicker was opposed.

After that meeting, Wentz said it would have cost the borough a little over $15,000 to fund the group.

Wentz previously said in the event taxes would have been raised, she wouldn’t have done so unless it would have gone back to the police department.

Council’s decision in December to not raise taxes left the millage rate at 19.25 mills.

That decision came after council in November advertised the 2021 preliminary budget with a half-mill increase, along with an estimated $30,000 to $40,000 rollover, to balance the budget.

A half-mill increase would have raised the millage rate from 19.25 to 19.75 mills, though several council members vowed they did not want to raise taxes next year.