MARS — Borough residents will see their property taxes go up next year for the first time in 20 years.

Council approved the 2018 final budget Thursday night that includes a 3-mill increase. The $1.025 million budget passed with a 5 to 1 vote with Councilman Bradford Price voting against it.

The Adams Area Fire District and Mars Public Library will see more money from the borough next year. The borough's contribution to the library increased to 1 mill in 2018 from 0.525 mill the current year, and the contribution to the fire district increased to 1.5 mills from 0.525 mill, according to budget documents.

Mayor Gregg Hartung said the contribution to the fire district is going up to support the new contract the borough worked out with the organization after its move to new facilities in Adams Township in the spring. Hartung said a gradual increase in funding over 10 years was included in the agreement.

“These adjustments have been a long time coming,” he said. “It's a matter of where the need is for what we have to do and thinking in the future. In terms of the fire district and library, there needs to be more support there.”

Additionally, the general millage rate increase to 17.38 from 15.83 in 2017 is due to a combination of needs in the borough, the mayor said.

“Similar to neighboring boroughs of the same size seeing the need for repairs and upkeep to infrastructure combined with a new county 911 radio call system, an engineering study required by the DEP for silt removal from water runoff into the Breakneck Creek Watershed and salary increases for workers pushed for raising taxes,” Hartung said.

“It isn't easy for council and the mayor because we live in the borough and our taxes go up the same as everyone's.”

The total millage rate will be 19.88 in 2018, up from 16.88 the current year.

The budget also includes increases from a first-time contract with part-time police officers who formed a bargaining unit and reached a three-year agreement with the borough. Hartung said hourly wages for those officers will increase from the base rate of $16.12 in 2018 to $16.45 over the duration of the contract.

The largest part of the 2018 budget is the allotment for the public works department's care of highways, roads and streets at $280,643, according to budget documents. Second largest is to public safety at $265,880. General government will get $215,597, and public works other services, including water, will receive $209,264.