Schuylkill County residents will not have to pay more in county taxes in 2021 as the commissioners approved the final budget without a tax hike.

The millage will remain at 15.98, the third year for no increase. The per capita tax will remain at $5.

The approved general fund budget has $66,683,513 in expenses and revenues of $58,574,983. To balance the budget, $8,108,530 is being pulled from the general fund unassigned fund balance.

Christopher Kerns, financial analyst with the county, spoke about the different components of the overall budget.

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington thanked Kerns, Financial Director Paul Buber and Administrator Gary Bender for their work on the budget, noting it has been a difficult year.

“There is no big pile of money laying around anywhere. If you think that is a fact, you’re foolish. These guys worked tirelessly to get this done and get it to balance and to try to get us through a tough situation. We look forward to 2021 with the good news about the virus vaccines on the horizon and getting our courthouse back to where it was before. We’ve cut way back on hours and tried our best not to bring people in. We’ve fought with infections,” Hetherington said.

Buber said previously “a sufficient amount of funds will remain” to adhere to the county’s 30-day fund balance policy. An amount was not provided.

Increasing costs in the budget included those for the retirement fund, employee wage increases, management information systems and 911 department.

Commissioner Gary Hess agreed keeping taxes level is good news for the public.

“It’s great that there is no tax increase. The people out there can’t afford it,” Hess said.

In addition to the general fund budget, the following budget related actions were taken: Approval of the Funded Debt Account $3,519,131; Capital Project Fund Account $97,000; Capital Reserve Fund Account $160,000; Internal Service Fund-Workers Compensation $459,200.

The following Special Revenue Fund Accounts were also approved:

Liquid Fuels $1,746,163; Local Use Funds $226,000; Demolition $1,834,910; Other (Farmland Preservation) $136,253; Human Services Complex $246,752; 911 Center $7,301,468; Other Agency Funds $3,963,383; Office of Senior Services $6,578,789; Drug and Alcohol $2,102,688; Mental Health (MH/DS) $7,175,118; Children and Youth $28,751,087; and Domestic Relations $2,415,549.

Other revenue fund accounts for special programs including Aging Advisory, Offender Supervision, Schuylkill County Block Grant Program, Affordable Housing, DUI, Other Escrow, Conduit, Schuylkill County Transportation Authority and Marcellus Shale for a total of $43,735,573. An exact tally for each special program was not provided.