The Slatington borough council approved a 21% percent increase in taxes in a 4-1 vote Monday night during a special meeting to pass the budget.

The millage rate will go from 6.2 mills to 7.5 mills.

Council members Jeffrey Hausman, Kevin Steckel, Zachari Halkias and Ronald Kratz approved the increase. Bryon Reed, whose term is up at the end of the year, voted no. Council President Thomas Bartholomew and council member Joseph Wechsler were absent. Both of their terms end Dec. 31.

Reed said, “In ’16, we had a general fund balance of $154,000 from what I have in my records. In ’17, we had $298,000. In ’18, we had $400,000. In ’19, we had $692,000. In ’22, we have a $1,700,000; and in ’23 November what you gave us was $2,200,000. I just feel you could have taken some of that money, that’s taxpayers’ money, and put it toward, instead of raising taxes.”

The tax increase consists of 1.2 mills for the general fund and .1 mill for the fire tax.

Borough manager Dan Stevens said that the increase was because of higher health care costs, hiring another full-time police officer, budgeting money in order to hire a couple part-time police officers, and road repairs.

The council also approved in a 4-1 vote fixing the per capita tax rate at $5, reenacting the 1% wage tax, making the local service tax $52, and the realty transfer tax at 1%. Again Reed voted no while Hausman, Steckel, Halkias and Kratz voted yes.

All five council members approved making payments into the police pension fund for 2024, but Hausman voted against setting the salary for the police chief at $97,850. Stevens said the increase in the police chief’s pay is based on the increases given to all of the officers. Chief Greg Winokur joined the department in February with a salary of $95,000.

Also approved by all five council members were the following:

• Appointing Campbell, Rappold and Yurasits as auditor for fiscal year 2023. The firm has been the auditor for the borough for many years.

• Establishing borough fees and charges for borough services or for the use of borough facilities for 2024.

• Appointing Elite Revenue Solutions to serve as the delinquent tax collector for real estate taxes for 2023.

In January, the council will have three new members: Walter Niedermeyer, the former mayor of Slatington; David Schnaars, a former council member; and Ryan Mayberry.