Property owners in Port Carbon are the latest to get hit by the double- … make that triple-tax-whammy at the end of 2024.
On Tuesday, Borough Council approved their preliminary 2025 budget that calls for a 3-mill tax increase. Officials say it’s the first property tax increase in Port Carbon since 2016.
The new millage rate, when the final budget is passed at a Dec. 30 special meeting, will be 17.149. The 3-mill increase means property owners will have to pay $3 more per $1,000 of assessed value on their properties than they did in 2024.
That’s just for the borough’s property tax, of course. Schuylkill County government is expected to adopt its final 2025 budget on Wednesday, calling for a 3.5-mill property tax increase. Earlier this year, Pottsville Area School District raised its property taxes by 1 mill, too.
Each mill in Port Carbon, according to Councilman Ron Zimmerman, is equal to $23,182.41. So the new tax rate will generate a little more than $69,000 in revenue for 2025. Zimmerman said healthcare rates are expected to rise about 8% in 2025 over this year and while that may not equate to the revenue the borough expects from the increased taxes, he said it’s important to consdier that rates have continually risen and the borough hasn’t raised taxes in at least 8 years.
The proposed budget with the tax increase would leave Port Carbon about $39,000 in the black for 2025.
Port Carbon Garbage Bills Going Up At Least 64%
In addition to the property taxes going up, so too are the garbage bills in Port Carbon. Also on Tuesday, council members agreed to award a 4-year contract to Tamaqua Transfer, after it had re-solicited bids earlier this year.
The new trash contract will allow for unlimited bag pickup weekly in addition to a Spring clean-up.
A new yearly rate was not determined for each household in the borough for 2025. That’s expected to be finalized on the 30th as well. However, based on the $1.135 million contract awarded to Tamaqua Transfer, the per-household rate would be at least $368.57. But the final rate will likely be higher because borough officials say they need to bill a little extra to compensate for the residents who don’t pay their trash bill, leaving the borough on the hook to make up the difference.
Port Carbon’s current annual garbage pick-up rate is $225. The new rate that’ll take effect in 2025 will be at least 64% higher than it was this year.
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