MIDDLESEX TWP — Residents are now able to review the proposed 2023 budget, which includes a $25,000 contribution to the Mars Area Public Library.

Supervisors on Wednesday approved advertising the $3,476,098 spending plan, which is up from the 2022 budget of $2,710,350.

Despite a proposed increase of more than $765,000 from last year’s budget, the 2023 budget is less than the year-to-date actual expenditures for 2022, according to figures provided by the township. Through September 2022, the actual expenditures add up to $3,622,189, a difference of almost $150,000 compared to the 2023 budget.

Even though higher than the 2022 budget, the overall expenditures are still currently less than the 2022 total general fund revenue, which was projected to be $3,891,947 and is at $4,141,734 through September of 2022. The 2023 proposed budget is projecting a similar general fund revenue of $3,830,673.

The council approved a significant increase to its contribution to the Mars library for 2023 with members noting a lot of township residents use the library. The previous contribution of $5,000, which remained the same for years, was increased to $25,000 in the proposed budget.

Despite the increase in library budget, the actual cultural/recreation budget decreased slightly from $209,000 to $181,500. This is mainly due to a decrease in projected costs for capital improvements from $200,000 estimated in the 2022 budget to $100,000 in 2023.

Also seeing a decrease is the public works budget, which has gone down almost $250,000 from $996,014 to $741,160. This is partly down because the 2022 budget included $125,000 for snow removal supplies, whereas the 2023 budget allots $50,000. Another $300,000 was budgeted in 2022 for contracted services for a road program concerning highways. Only $6,854 has been spent toward that this year, and no money is budgeted toward it in the proposal.

Multiple categories in the budget saw around $40,000 increases, but the significant increase in the total budget from 2022-23 is primarily due to two factors.

First, $500,000 is being budgeted to transfer to capital funds, whereas nothing was budgeted for that in 2022, although $789,827 has been transferred to capital funds through September 2022.

The other factor is an increase from $10,000 budgeted for contracted services in general government for 2022 to $214,285 in 2023. That money is being used for PennDOT’s Balls Bend Realignment Project, which is making improvements to Route 228 to Route 8 through January 2025.

The public can view the proposed budget before it is voted on at next month’s regular meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21. The budget will be displayed at the municipality center. At the action meeting, residents are able to comment on the budget before the vote.