LEWISBURG — The Borough Council on Tuesday night approved a 1-mill tax increase to support the proposed 2009 general fund budget.
The proposal will be advertised before a final vote is taken.
The additional mill would amount to about a 14 percent increase for property owners in the borough. It would bring in $172,146 in additional revenue.
Borough manager Chad Smith said the average home in the borough is assessed at about $135,000. Using that figure as a baseline, the average homeowner’s tax would increase by $135 to $961.
“You can also think of this as an increase of $11.25 a month,” Smith said.
The council does not plan to cut services, although the borough is under a hiring freeze. Some items in the budget are fixed by contract, officials said. Health care costs for employees will increase 14 percent, for example.
The council also approved an increase in the refuse rate, from $45 a quarter to $48 a quarter.
In other business, Ronald Gruneburg, of Buck’s Service, asked the council why his firm lost the borough’s towing business.
Smith said he and Police Chief Paul Yost made the decision to switch towing services, but he said the council can decide whom to hire for the job in 2009. The council elected to meet in executive session to discuss the issue.
During the planning committee report, a motion was approved to cover all parking meters during the holiday season, from Nov. 26 to Dec. 31.
The council voted unanimously to appoint Mark Carollo as chief of the William Cameron Engine Company for two years through 2010.
In the October police report, Yost said there were 91 arrests and 366 traffic violation tickets issued.
Council member Susan Mahon said the Christmas tree lighting will take place Dec. 4. Dec. 5 will be late-night shopping in Lewisburg, and Dec. 6 is the date of the annual Victorian parade.
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