The 2022 Salisbury Township budget has been approved with a hike in taxes and the water rate.

Commissioners in separate 5-0 votes approved the budget and the water rate at the Dec. 9 township meeting.

The 2022 township budget has general fund expenditures of $11,077,907 and total expenditures of $21,821,909.

The tax rate for general township purposes is 2.57 mills on each $1 of assessed valuation or 25.7 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.

The tax rate for fire protection is 0.29 mills on each $1 of assessed valuation.

The tax rate for library services is 0.06 mills or 0.60 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.

The total rate is 2.92 mills or 29.2 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation.

A discount of two percent is given if the tax payment is paid in full on or before May 31, 2022.

A penalty of 10 percent is levied if the tax payment is not made before July 31, 2022.

The millage increases from 2.42 mills to 2.92 mills.

The township tax hike is, on average, $120 per property owner, or $10 per month, based on the township median residential property valuation of $235,000.

The water rates increases 35 cents from $7 to $7.35 per 1,000 gallons.

For a family that uses 20,000 gallons of water per quarter, the increase is $10 per quarter and $40 annually, or an average increase of $3 per month.

The water rate increase is a pass-along from the Lehigh County Authority.

Trash hauling and recycling rates are not increasing.

There’s no change in the one percent tax levy on salaries, wages, commissions and other compensation earned by township residents and earned in the township by nonresidents.

There’s no change in the one percent tax levy on the transfer or conveying by deed or other document of land, tenements and inherited property in or partly in the township.

Here is a summary of the 2022 budget:

General Fund Revenue - $11,077,907

Expenditures - $11,077,907

OPERATING EXPENDITURES

General Government - $1,439,832

Police - $3,572,986

Public Safety (Non-Police) - $692,547

Highways & Public Works - $2,894,472

Recreation - $135,086

Environmental Advisory - $12,800

Insurances & Benefits - $189,600

Contributions & Miscellaneous - $23,600

Total Operating Expenditures - $8,960,923

Non-Operating Expenditures

Debt Service - $190,000

Capital - $1,589,000

Total Non-Operating Expenditures - $1,779,000

Transfer to Reserves - $337,984

FIRE PROTECTION FUND

Revenue - $375,360

Expenditures - $375,360

Operating Expenditures - $252,430

Non-Operating Expenditures - $59,135

Transfer to Reserves - $63,795

LIBRARY FUND

Revenue - $86,100

Current Year - $78,000

Use of Prior-Year Reserves - $8,100

Operating Expenditures - $86,100

WATER FUND

Revenue - $3,186,256

Current Year - $3,058,420

Use of Prior-Year Reserves - $127,836

Expenditures - $3,186,256

Operating Expenditures - $2,091,256

Non-Operating Expenditures - $1,095,000

SEWER FUND

Revenue - $2,325,906

Current Year - $2,126,360

Use of Prior-Year Reserves - $199,546

Expenditures - $2,325,906

Operating Expenditures - $1,965,906

Non-Operating Expenditures - $360,000

REFUSE & RECYCLING FUND

Revenue - $2,012,248

Current Year - $1,946,680

Use of Prior-Year Reserves - $65,568

Operating Expenditures - $2,012,248

HIGHWAY AID FUND

Revenue - $650,000

Current Year - $435,972

Use of Prior-Year Reserves - $214,028

Expenditures - $650,000

Operating Expenditures - $213,000

Capital Expenditures - $437,000

With the adoption of the 2022 budget, township commissioners will not hold a second monthly meeting Dec. 21 or Dec. 23.

Commissioners are next scheduled to meet 6 p.m. Jan. 3, 2022 in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave., for the township board reorganization meeting.

The next regular board of commissioners’ meeting is 7 p.m. Jan. 13, 2022 in the municipal building.