There will not be a property tax hike in Schuylkill Township next year, if a proposed budget is approved next month.

Meeting in special session Wednesday night, the township supervisors voted to adopt a $699,272 spending plan that calls for the same 10.22 property tax millage rate as 2023.

Doing her first budget after being appointed township treasurer last month, Dana Brubaker estimated expenses for the general fund to be approximately $103,000 over anticipated income. But during an almost two and a half-hour session, she and the supervisors were able to pare down the deficit to $48,727.

With each mill in the township valued at just under $14,000, the deficit would have required a tax hike of just over three mills. The $103,000 deficit would have been about 7.5 mills, Brubaker said.

The township has a $227,000 surplus from 2023 it can use - making up the deficit will leave approximately $178,000 in the surplus.

Brubaker at first separated the solid waste and state liquid fuels funds with the general funds. She projected the solid waste fund to have a balance at the end of 2024, while the entire amount of liquid fuels funds are planned to be spent during the year.

The supervisors are planning to combine the liquid fuels funds with half of remaining funds the township received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, or COVID funds, which is $99,614.97.

The $61,813 in liquid fuels funds, added to half of the ARPA funds totals $111,620.49. Half of that amount will be used for electronic upgrades to the township building. Supervisor Gary Feathers said that includes a phone system, door locks, electronic tablets and a security system. The other half will be used to purchase equipment.

The budget will now be publicly advertised for 20 days before final approval. The supervisors’ next regular meeting is Monday, Dec. 4.