Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday approved a $42.6 million preliminary budget with no tax increase.

The 2025-26 spending plan has no changes from the proposed budget that the board reviewed in March, Business Manager Connie Ligenza said.

She is still waiting for two insurance renewals, but those values shouldn’t make a significant change in the overall budget, she said.

The spending plan shows a beginning fund balance of $3,837,723, revenues of $41,755,213, expenditures of $42,578,441 and ending balance of $3,014,494.

The budget continues to have a more than $800,000 deficit tied to future capital projects, maintenance and upgrades to technology and infrastructure.

Last year, the board set aside $1 million to fund some of the projects, and Ligenza had suggested that the board follow that same path again as the district chips away needed projects and upgrades.

The budget sets the following rates: millage at 44.93 mills, per capita-Section 679, $5; per capita-Act 511, $5; earned income tax, 1%; real estate transfer tax, 1%, EMS tax, $5, and assessed occupation, $225.

The school district has not heard from Schuylkill County officials on how the reassessment is going to change the tax rates yet, Ligenza said.

She did caution people not to apply new property valuations to the current millage rate, which is going to change with reassessment.

“You’ll probably have a heart attack,” Ligenza said. “It’s going to be nowhere near that. I cannot say what it’s going to be, but let’s just say the market value goes up 10 times, the millage will directly go down 10 times in proportion.”

The county and school district has hosted town meetings to reassessment and valuations, she said, and one-third of all properties will see an increase, one-third of all properties will see a decrease, and one third won’t change.

The 2025-26 budget will now be advertised for public display and inspection before final adoption by the board next month.