Tamaqua Area School District appears poised to accept the maximum increase on its current real estate tax rate.

The school board's Finance Committee on Tuesday approved the recommendation that the state Department of Education has set the base index for the 2017-2018 budget cycle at 2.5 percent.The district's index, including the adjustment factor, is 3.2 percent, which allows a maximum increase of 1.2 mills to its current real estate tax rate, or the equivalent of about $362,012.A motion will be on the board's meeting agenda later this month to accept the index as the maximum tax rate increase.In June, the board approved this year's spending plan with a 1.09-mill increase in the property tax rate.That decision increased the district's millage rate from 34.29 to 35.38 mills, and called for a homeowner with a home valued at $100,000, which would be assessed at $50,000, to pay $55 more to the district in property taxes.The final budget left the district with a $2.12 million deficit, meaning it had to use $1,923,000 from its fund balance to balance the budget.District business Manager Connie Ligenza said the reason for the increase was due primarily to the capital needs/improvements of its buildings on the board-approved list of additional items.