Northern Lehigh School District has approved next year's spending plan with a 2.25 percent increase in the property tax rate.

On an 8-1 vote, the school board on Monday agreed to adopt the 2015-16 budget. Director Mathias Green was opposed.Next year's $30,828,379 spending plan raises the millage rate to 21.15 mills in Lehigh County, and to 59.14 mills in Northampton County.That means a person with a median assessed value home in Lehigh County, which would be $144,800, will pay $3,062, or $56 more, in property taxes to the district next year. Lehigh County is assessed at 100 percent.A person with a median assessed value home in Northampton County, which would be $48,500, will pay $2,868, or $63 more, in property taxes to the district next year. Northampton County is assessed at 50 percent.The $30,828,379 spending plan requires the use of $993,299 of the district's fund balance.In a related matter, the board approved the lease from California First Leasing Corporation, 18201 Von Karman Ave. Suite 800, Irvine, CA, 92612, for $50,000 per year, with a lease term of 36 months and a $1 buyout option at the end of the lease agreement. The lease will be used for the purchase of replacement laptop computers for the middle school laptop carts (two carts); replacement laptops for the high school floating laptop cart and library cart; replacement of faculty laptops for the middle school; replacement laser printers for both the Slatington and Peters Elementary School main offices; and Chromebooks to replace laptops in four carts at Slatington Elementary.Also, the board approved to commit, and assign, portions of the June 30, fund balance for the PSERS increase, health insurance premiums, technology, replacement equipment and long-range maintenance (actual amounts to be determined after completion of the 2014-15 end-of-year audit).The board also allowed the business office to complete budgetary transfers for the 2014-15 end-of-year audit.In January, the board approved the Act 1 Tax Levy Resolution, which states that the district's index for the 2015-16 fiscal year is 2.6 percent.Last year, the board approved the 2014-15 budget with a 2.8 percent increase in the property tax rate.That budget called for a 0.59-mill increase for residents of Lehigh County, and a 0.63-mill increase for residents of Northampton County.The $29,132,905 spending plan increased the millage rate from 20.17 to 20.76 mills for residents who live in Lehigh County, and from 57.31 to 57.94 mills for residents of Northampton County.As part of that budget, the district used $465,000 from its fund balance to help offset about a $525,000 increase in the Public School Employees Retirement System.