Lansford Borough Council has passed a 2017 budget that increases property taxes by approximately 3 percent.

Council voted 3-2, with two members absent, to pass the budget at a special meeting Monday night.Rose Mary Cannon, Jared Soto and Matt Walsh voted for the budget. Joseph Butrie and Martin Ditsky voted against.Colin Jones and John Turcmanovich were absent.The borough's tax rate for 2017 will be 34.53 mills. The 1-mill tax increase was approved to offset an overall decline in the assessed value of properties in the borough. Borough officials said the assessed value dropped 1 percent in 2016, due to property owners having their homes reassessed at a lower value.Council cut $39,000 in expenses compared with last year's budget. Borough officials said that without the tax increase, they still would be $10,000 in the red at the end of 2017.The total general fund expenditures are expected to be $1,465,595.- Chris Reber