Nesquehoning officials are eyeing an additional 0.25-mill increase to the 2016 budget to help cover fire protection in the borough.

If the increase passes with the 0.5-mill hike already tentatively adopted by borough council, it would bring the millage to 17.25.That means that a $100,000 home assessed at $50,000 will see an increase in real estate taxes of $37.50 next year.During a special meeting of borough council this week, the board voted to advertise the budget items.A final budget will be adopted at council's monthly meeting on Dec. 16.Councilman Frank Jacobs outlined the tentative budget, which called for the 0.5-mill increase to help cover rising health care costs and other expenses, but said that the borough is looking to see if it can find a better rate for health care coverage for the employees."The last couple of years insurances have been crucifying us," Jacobs said.Last month, he said that for 2016, the borough will pay an additional $250 a month for employees on family plans, bringing a monthly bill per plan to $2,020; and an additional $100 a month for individual plans. The borough currently has nine employees on family plans and two on individual plans.As of the meeting, the borough was waiting to hear back on two quotes for coverage.The additional increase came after Jacob's presentation at the suggestion of council President David Hawk, who co-chairs the public safety committee. He pointed out a nearly $30,000 deficit in the firetruck fund budget.He suggested the borough cut the amount of hose purchased for the fire companies from 3,000 feet to 1,500 feet to save approximately $6,000 in 2016; as well as increase the millage by another 0.25 mills to be designated for fire protection. Currently, 1.5 mills of the budget go toward fire protection."A quarter-mill would generate about $15,000 to $16,000, which wouldn't get us to break even, but it would get us stable," he said.John McArdle, Nesquehoning Hose Company fire chief, said the hose the borough intended to buy was 2-inch attack line hose, which is attached to the nozzle.Fire hose has about a 10- to 15-year expected service life, McArdle said. "We have some hose that has exceeded that mark."McArdle said that council also has to take into consideration that the three fire companies in the borough have aging vehicles, with one being as old as 1986, and another truck purchase is probably ahead of them in the near future.Council also discussed police protection in the borough, pointing out that approximately $73,000 in overtime has been paid to the officers this year.Jacobs said that if overtime is cut back, the borough would probably have enough to hire an additional full-time officer, but that discussion will take place at a later time.Councilwoman Mary Fox also talked about the streetlight costs for the borough.Council has been looking at ways to either cut back on the number of lights in the borough or lowering the wattage to see a savings to the light bills.Borough secretary RoniSue Ahner said that paperwork has been filed with PPL to lower the streetlight wattage to 70 watts and the borough is on the list to change over to LED lights.Once lights are changed over, the borough will eventually see a savings of approximately $7,000 a year.