Homeowners in the Tamaqua Area School District will see a 4.8% increase in their school property taxes this coming fall.

School officials say the tax increase is needed to stabilize the district’s finances after three years of spending more than it took in.

“For the coming years, it’s necessary to build the base up so we can continue to not spend at a deficit,” said Superintendent Raymond Kinder Jr.

School board members voted 7-2 Tuesday night to approve the final budget with a 1.92-mill budget. Thomas Bartasavage and Trina Schellhammer voted against.

The district’s property tax rate will be 41.77 mills - which is still lower than 9 of the other 13 districts in Schuylkill County.

The 2022-23 budget has $38,578,277 in expenses. That is 7 percent or $2.5 million more than last year.

The line item for salaries has increased by $659,317, about 5 percent. The line item for benefits has increased by $671,639, about 6 percent. Transportation has increased in cost by $83,131, or 4.6 percent.

The increase in salaries are driven by contractual increases for teachers and administrators, and four new positions. Kinder said the positions are needed to serve growing populations in special education and English as a second language, but they also help with conditions that the district must meet to receive its $3.8 million in American Rescue Plan ESSER III funding.

Those positions will be funded with ARP funds, but most of the $3.8 million will be set aside for future projects including security upgrades, and a proposed solar farm.

Board President Larry Wittig suggested that the district use the leftover ARP funds to delay the tax increase another year. Kinder said that it would not address the fact that the district currently spends more than it takes in.

Even with the tax increase, the district expects to spend about $1.7 million more than it takes in. It will end 2023-24 with $1.3 million in the bank.

“To the point of the positions we need to keep funded, we will not have built up any way to pay for them going forward,” Kinder said.