Another tax break appears to be a slam dunk for Franklin Township residents next year.

On a unanimous measure, supervisors on Tuesday agreed to tentatively adopt the 2020 budget with no tax increase.

Though residents won’t see a tax increase next year, they figure to see a slight rise in their garbage bills to the tune of $10 more.

That would equate to an 83-cent per month increase for residents, which represents the first time garbage rates would go up since 2009, supervisors said.

Supervisors said the small rise in garbage bills is to help the township counter the rising costs of health care, unfunded state mandates (MS4), and repairs to older vehicles/trucks.

Last week, the board noted during a four-hour budget workshop that the township is owed about $225,000 in delinquent garbage fees.

As part of that session, supervisors went over each budgetary line item as they attempted to piece together the 2020 spending plan.

At that time, township police Chief Jason Doll said his department’s most pressing need is staffing, and presented the board with scenarios for four, five and six full-time officers.

Doll said the department currently has four full-time officers, and that his preference would be for six full-timers.

He also cited the proposed St. Luke’s Carbon Campus, as well as the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 building that recently opened, as examples that the department could use additional manpower.

Supervisors estimated that it would cost the township about $93,579 (wages and health benefits) per officer.

Doll noted at that time that former township police Chief Thomas Beltz in 2005 asked the township for a fifth full-time officer, but his request was turned down.

He added that if the need was there for a fifth full-timer nearly 15 years ago, then the need for a sixth full-timer is here now.

If the board were to approve additional staffing, Doll said his budget could be flexible.

Supervisors plan to grant final budget adoption on Dec. 17.

In December, supervisors adopted this year’s budget with no millage increase, which left the millage rate in check at 7.64 mills.

Of that, 6.3 mills was for general purposes; 0.537 for the capital reserve building fund; and 0.800 for the fire hydrant fund for properties within 780 feet of fire hydrants.

There was also no increase in the garbage or sewer rates.

The last time residents saw a tax increase was in 2010, when taxes were raised by 1.5 mills.