A soft increase in next year's property tax rate may end up being even smaller for residents who live in the Lehighton Area School District.

That's according to the newest figures released by business administrator Brian D. Feick during the school board's finance committee meeting on Tuesday.Feick said the revised $37,099,689 spending plan for the 2014-15 school year now calls for a 0.56-mill increase, as opposed to a 0.65-mill rise that was approved by the board last month.Under those parameters, a 0.56-mill increase would raise the millage rate from 47.32 to 47.88 mills.That would mean a homeowner with a home valued at $100,000, which would be assessed at $50,000, would pay $28 more in property taxes to the school district next year, while a homeowner with a home valued at $150,000 and assessed at $75,000 would pay $42 more.The district would still be faced with a $1,001,664 shortfall, which would require it to use $800,000 from the fund balance.Of that, $600,000 would go toward health insurance and $200,000 toward the Public School Employees Retirement System, which would leave a net shortfall of $201,664.Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver reiterated that the $800,000 from the fund balance is the most he can recall the district having to use in some time.Director Hal Resh concurred with Cleaver's sentiment, but said that at least the district has that amount to fall back on."The money was saved for a reason," Resh said."There are other districts that are in terrible shape with theirs (fund balance)."Director Andrew Yenser said he was on board with the revised spending plan."I also think we're trying to use it wisely," Yenser said. "It's kind of a slippery slope."Cleaver said the district is in a favorable position compared with other school districts."We're in a fortunate spot," he said."Other districts who are in worse shape than us don't have that opportunity."Last month, the board, on an 8-1 vote, approved next year's proposed final budget of $37,139,981 with a 0.65-mill increase, but the board found ways to reduce that amount.Final budget adoption is scheduled when the board meets at 7 p.m. June 23.