Whether a municipal tax increase is in the cards for Lehighton in 2025 remains to be determined.

Borough council on a 3-1 vote Monday tentatively approved next year’s budget and agreed to advertise it.

Council members Dave Zimmerman, Becky Worthy and Steve Hawk were in favor, with council President Grant Hunsicker opposed. Council members Autumn Abelovsky and John Kreitz were absent.

Before the vote, borough Manager Dane DeWire told council he has met with each of the departments and adjusted revenues and expenditures.

With those adjustments, DeWire noted that the borough is still faced with a $231,168 deficit.

DeWire said the Nov. 18 budget presentation had shown a $173,000 deficit.

The $60,000 difference can be attributed to general fund allocation, he said.

DeWire said that full-time union lineman salaries were assumed to decrease by $50,000 to account for the filing of the vacant superintendent position.

He noted that $40,000 was added as a transfer to the capital project fund to begin saving for a sewer vac or Hydro excavator machine.

Also, DeWire said funding was allocated for the possibility of an additional full-time secretary within the police department, and a new alert system which the police department will be implementing later in 2025.

Hunsicker stressed the borough’s need for new equipment.

“Our machinery is going to grass,” Hunsicker said. “We have to replace it sooner than later.”

Hunsicker then asked how the borough was going to pay for it.

“We need equipment now,” he said. “You’ve got to replace it.”

DeWire noted that the borough is not in the red, and that there are line items to buy new equipment.

Councilman Steve Hawk agreed the borough needs to replace its old equipment.

DeWire said the borough is currently sitting at 10 mills, and added it hasn’t had a significant municipal tax increase in some time.

Hunsicker said that’s why they previously purchased the electric department to keep the millage down.

“I’m not in favor of raising taxes,” Hunsicker said.

Council plans to hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 to grant adoption of the 2025 budget.

At a special meeting last month, council agreed to table the advertising of the proposed budget.

DeWire said at last month’s special meeting that the budget did not include a tax increase, but included a deficit.

In February, borough council adopted this year’s budget with no tax increase.

That kept the millage rate intact at 10 mills.