During a meeting Tuesday, the finance committee of the Tamaqua School Board recommended a 2014-15 budget which includes a slight increase of 0.93, less than a full mill. The school board is expected to approve the budget during next week's meeting.

The projected expenses for the 2014-15 budget are $28.7 million with total revenue estimated at $26.3 million. The beginning fund balance will be $5 million; but at the end of the 2014-15 year the fund balance will be reduced to $2.4 million.It's the first increase for the Tamaqua Area School District since 2011, when the millage rate increased from 32.11 to 33.36, or up 1.25 mills. For 2014-15, the value of a mil is $295,000; the 0.93 increase will generate $274,000 for the district.District business manager Connie Ligenza said that the average homestead assessed value in the district is $39,464; the average increase at 0.93 is $37 per year.For a property with an assessed value of $50,000, the increase will be $46.50; for a property assessed at $25,000 the increase will be $23.25 yearly."We haven't raised taxes since 2011," Ligenza said. "And during that time, clearly the cost of operations has risen."District Superintendent Carol Makuta said that the district has done its best to trim expenses whenever possible."The site budgets (for the buildings and grounds) haven't been raised since 2008," Makuta said. "And since 2008, the increases in funding from the state have been only moderate."