Palmerton area residents may be looking at a 2.25-mill tax increase in order to cover a projected budget deficit for the upcoming year.

At Thursday's borough council meeting, board member Rodger Danielson detailed shortfalls for the 2017 general fund budget, amounting to approximately $163,000. The last time millage was increased for the general fund was in 2008.While Danielson said that the amounts in projected budgets are usually overestimated to leave room for error, he did say the actual deficit would likely be around $80,000.The tentative budget for 2017 calls for a 1-mill increase to cover for the general fund expenditures."That is about what 1 mill brings in to us. We budget about $80,000 per mill," Danielson said.Additional increases include 1 mill to cover the cost of hiring a new police officer, and 0.25 mills set for the recreation budget.Kris Hoffner presented a public safety report detailing the elevation in criminal activity for the year to date, with a 71 percent increase in total calls taken, a 52 percent increase in premises checks, a 34 percent increase in DUIs, a 73 percent increase in mental health incidents, and a 55 percent increase in drug-related activity."Any time you see an increase that dramatically, we feel that we have to address it for the safety of our citizens," Hoffner said, noting that the mental health and drug-related increases are particularly concerning.The council had applied for a Community Oriented Policing Services grant, a federal fund that allows for the increase of police activity, but has yet to receive any word about whether it was approved."We got one about 10 or 15 years ago, but we haven't been fortunate to get one again," Danielson said."The new playground is the big demand, and that's the stress on the recreation budget," Danielson said in reference to the 0.25-mill increase, which will go to upgrading and maintaining playground equipment.He went on to explain that former supporters for the recreation fund, such as Horsehead Holding, are unable to donate what they have in the past, resulting in a need for the increase.Danielson said that the total 2.25-mill increase will likely amount to about $8.50 per month, per household. The tentative budget was passed, with the mill increases included.