Lehighton residents will have to shell out more for municipal taxes next year.

Borough council at a special meeting on Monday adopted the 2026 budget with a 1.25-mill increase.

That will raise the millage rate from 11 mills to 12.25 mills.

Outgoing Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky said it was important to note that of the millage increase, 1 mill will be for the financing of a new pumper truck for the fire department, while the other quarter of a mill is for the general fund.

Before that, borough Manager Dane DeWire noted that a grant did not come through for a new firetruck.

Councilwoman Dr. Jordyn Miller was absent.

Borough council adopted the budget after having previously held a special budget meeting Dec. 9.

Additionally, council discussed the budget at length at its regular meeting Dec. 1.

At that meeting, DeWire reviewed the budget with borough council, at which time he noted he shaved quite a bit of expenses off from the original 2026 budget.

However, Abelovsky said she believed there are still ways to look to cut spending and cut the budget somewhat.

Councilman Steve Hawk said that the trend over the years has been to keep tax increases as small as possible.

DeWire said at that time that if a grant did not come through for a new firetruck, then the borough would have to look at a loan for $1.1 million or $1.2 million, which could result in a 1-mill increase.

Even if the borough received a $1 million loan for the LSA statewide program, council discussed a 1-mill tax increase to pay for the difference, as the truck was quoted at $1.04 million, and the grant application capped at $1 million even.

Another option under consideration was to transfer $1.6 million from the borough’s Light & Power Department to the general fund.

Mayor Ryan Saunders said he believes it would be a tall ask of council to advertise the 2026 budget with the changes before them, and that additional meetings should be held.

Ultimately, Hawk sided with Abelovsky and said that if wants to look over the budget a little more, he too would look it over.

Last December, council on a 4-2 vote, with one abstention, adopted this year’s budget with a 1-mill increase.

A vote to increase the millage rate from 10 mills to 11 mills passed on the same 4-2 margin, with an abstention.

Also as part of that motion, council agreed to transfer $1.5 million from the borough’s Light & Power Department.

In addition, DeWire was asked to meet with department heads to make further modifications.