Bowmanstown residents will again be exempt from a tax increase.

At least, not after borough council agreed last week to advertise the proposed 2025 budget with no millage increase.

If council were to adhere to that, it would leave the borough’s millage rate at 13.005 mills.

Council is expected to grant the budget final adoption when it meets at 7 p.m. Dec. 3.

Last December, council adopted this year’s spending plan also with no tax increase.

Tunnel lighting

Also last week, borough council took action to enhance lighting to increase safety inside the tunnel under Route 248.

Borough council authorized Duane Frable to upgrade the tunnel lights at a cost of $3,069.

For months, council had debated whether enhanced lighting or cameras would improve safety and to stop people from camping out inside the tunnel.

In March 2022, a mural in the tunnel was vandalized and graffiti had returned under the tunnel where the Bowmanstown Area Residents Connected hung the mural.