TAMAQUA - The borough council had just enough members for a quorum Tuesday, and it was enough to adopt the 2014 budget with a 1.5-mill tax increase on a 4-0 vote.
As advertised, the real estate tax rate will increase from 16.25 to 17.25 mills for the general fund and from 0.5 to 1 mill for the building and equipment fund. The 0.5 mill for the Wabash improvement fund remains, resulting in a total of 18.75 mills for 2014.
For example, a property owner with a home assessed at $100,000 and a market value at $50,000 will pay $37.50 in real estate tax for 2014.
Council President Micah Gursky said the borough hasn't had a tax increase in four years.
Gursky and councilmen Thomas Cara, Brian Connely and David Mace voted to adopt the budget. Councilmen Dan Evans and John Trudich Jr. were absent from the Tuesday meeting.
In other business, the council voted 4-0 to approve a $9.4 million bond issue for the water authority.
Borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt explained the borough must back the bond issue for the authority board.
"The Tamaqua Area Water Authority will pay off some old loans and launch several projects to upgrade water distribution and water tanks. The tanks must be inspected. Also a new heating system will be added," Steigerwalt said.
Authority solicitor Jeffrey Bowe was on hand to make sure all the paperwork was signed by council.
The bond issue is for 20 years, according to Gursky.