The Salisbury Township 2017 general fund budget has been approved with no tax hikes, but with water and sewer rate increases for residents and business owners.

Township commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 on a motion by Commissioner Vice President Robert Martucci Jr., and seconded by Commissioner President James A. Brown, at the Dec. 22 meeting to accept the 2017 budget.

The 2017 general fund budget, as proposed by Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano, has revenue of $8,405,555, which is based on 2017 revenue of $7.581,700 and prior-year reserves of $823,855.

To balance the budget, funds are being taken from the prior-year reserves, also known as the operating reserve, which is expected to reduce the fund to about $2,463,089 at the end of 2017.

The 2017 general fund budget has expenditures of $8,404,555, which includes operating expenditures of:

General Government - $884,550

Police - $2,097,775

Public Safety - $731,200

Highways and Public Works - $1.423,990

Recreation - $174,000

Environmental advisory - $2,500

Insurances and benefits - $2,108,800

Contributions and miscellaneous - $59,000

This adds up to operating expenses of $7,481,815

Non-operating expenditures of $923,740 are:

Debt service - $184,400

Capital - $739,340

The fire protection fund has revenue of $831,572, including $710,300 for 2017 and $121,272 from prior-year reserves and expenditures of $831,572, including $167,252 in operating expenditures and $664,320 (toward the Western Salisbury fire truck purchase) in non-operating expenditures.

The library fund (for Allentown Public Library) has $81,800 in revenue and $81,800 in expenditures.

The water fund has revenue of $3,104,800, including $3,007,500 for 2017 and $97,300 from prior-year reserves and revenue of $3,104,800, including $1,601,700 in operating expenditures and $1,503,100 in non-operating expenditures.

The sewer fund has revenue of $2,394,500 for 2017, including $2,234,100 and $160,400 from prior-year reserves, and expenditures of $2,394,500, including operating expenditures of $1,730,000 and non-operating expenditures of $664,500.

The refuse and recycling fund has revenue of $1,359,600, operating expenditures of $1,317,000 and transfer to reserves of $42,600.

The highway aid fund has revenue of $447,000, with operating expenditures of $305,400 and transfer to reserves of $141,600.

The ordinance to set tax rates and budget appropriations was approved unanimously 5-0, after being put forth by Commissioner Joanne Ackerman and seconded by Martucci.

The tax rate is 1.97515 mills, which includes:

For general purposes 1.70567 mills on each $1 of assessed valuation.

For fire protection, it’s 0.20861 mills on each $1 of assessed valuation.

For library services, it’s 0.06087 cents on each $1 of assessed valuation.

Based on an assessed value of $207,817, taxes were $410.47 in 2016.

In 2015, commissioners approved a 22.6 percent annual tax increase for 2016.

Also approved was a 1 percent tax on salaries, wages, commissions and other compensation earned by township residents and earned in the township by non-residents and a 1 percent tax on deed transfers.

A resolution to increase water and sewer rates, effective Jan. 1, 2017, was approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote, on a motion by Martucci, and seconded by Commissioner Debra Brinton.

The meter rate is $6.05 per each 1,000 gallons. That’s an increase of 2.5 percent, or $0.15 per thousand gallons of water from $5.90.

The sewer rate is $66 per unit per quarter or $264 annually. That’s an increase in the sewer rate of 4.7 percent, or $3 per unit per quarter from $63.

The rate for nonresidential properties is $72.60 per quarter or $290.40 annually.

The water and sewer fee hikes are pass-along increases, resulting from increases in fees charged by the Lehigh County Authority from which township residents get the majority of their water and which processes the majority of the township sanitary sewage, according to Salisbury Township Assistant Manager-Director of Finance Cathy Bonaskiewich.