Even though the tax rate in Harrisville is being reduced to correct an error, borough council expects to approve a balanced final budget for 2026 at an upcoming special meeting.

Council voted at a meeting Monday, Dec. 8, to set the tax rate for the borough at 10.75 mills, a 2.5-mill decrease from last year’s rate. Council also voted to set a date for a special meeting for final approval of the budget.

The decrease in property tax was planned as far back as March, when council had to consider how to rectify a collection error.

Council previously approved a property tax increase from 8.25 mills to 13.25 mills, set to begin in 2025. However, the new millage rate was wrongly collected for the 2024 tax year. To rectify this, the borough will be giving a 2.5-mill cut over two years.

Council President Kathy Bray said the borough would lose “less than $11,000” in expected tax revenue from the decrease.

As for the budget, she said it has expected expenditures of $354,640, an increase from this year’s total of $327,382. However, the borough ended up spending only just over $280,000 thus far this year.

“Payroll for police was based on three part-time officers. Due to personnel changes, we were down to one officer for several months,” Bray said.

She said police payroll will likely continue to be the borough’s largest operating cost.

“We also have a lot of general costs, like keeping the lights on, that keep going up with inflation,” she said.

She added that the borough expects to have a positive balance, just like this year’s. That would mark back-to-back budgets with no operating deficit for the borough.

“The borough has not and will not be going bankrupt,” Bray said.

With that extra cash, council also voted to approve a raise for council members and the mayor. Bray said council members will make $35 a quarter more, from $50 to $85, while the mayor will make $70 a quarter more, from $50 to $120.

The special meeting for final approval of the budget has been set for 4 p.m. Friday.