Tamaqua School Board will vote on a 2022-23 budget with a 4.8% tax increase next week.

The board’s finance committee voted 2-1 Tuesday night to send the $38,578,277 million budget to the full board for final adoption.

Administrators say the tax increase is needed to fund existing programs. The district has been using reserve funds to balance the budget, and expenses have increased.

Board President Larry Wittig voted to advance the budget, but said he is against increasing taxes in current economic conditions.

“I know you presented as fiscally responsible a budget as you can do, but in today’s environment, I can’t see us raising taxes,” Wittig said.

The proposed tax increase of 1.92 mills would make the real estate tax rate 41.77 mills. The average taxpayer would see their tax bill increase by about $6 per month, Business Manager Connie Ligenza said.

The board last raised taxes going into the 2020-21 school year.

Administrators said the tax increase is needed to fund existing programs without exhausting the district’s reserve funds. In five out of the past seven years, the district has used reserve funds to balance the budget.

Without the tax increase, the district would finish 2022-23 with about $600,000 in its fund balance. With it, the fund balance will be $1,340,554.

“This is part of a discussion we’ve had for a number of years,” Kinder said.

In total, expenses have increased about $2.7 million from the 2021-22 school year.

Contractual increases in salaries will cost the district $659,317 more than last year. Health insurance costs have increased by $350,832. Retirement contributions have increased by $273,309. The cost of everyday supplies has also increased due to inflation.

“The same things we’re seeing, every one of us, is affecting the school as well,” Ligenza said.

The budget includes four new teaching positions, required under the conditions for the borough to receive its American Rescue Plan funding. Some of the funds have been designated to fund those positions, but school board members and administrators agree that the rest should be used for one-time capital expenses instead of ongoing operations.

The budget will be on the agenda when the full school board meets next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the middle school large-group instruction room.