MARS — Council members passed a proposed budget for 2023 Monday night, leaving residents a public comment period of 13 days before the council is expected to approve the budget Dec. 19.

The new budget projects expenditures to reach $1,529,921.14 and revenue to reach $1,540,692.36, leaving a $10,771.22 surplus. Borough leaders expect no tax increase next year.

Borough staff and council members worked together to prepare the budget.

“It’s been a process,” said Mayor Gregg Hartung, who noted that three meetings had preceded its current form.

Water rates are expected to rise for residents, he said, with usage fees climbing from $8.75 to $9.50 per every 1,000 gallons and $16 to $17 for a base fee each month.

“Basically, the costs for chemicals and everything has gone up,” Hartung said, referring to chemicals used to sanitize the water. “That’s the inflation costs. So those costs unfortunately have to be passed on to the residents to be able to provide the safe water that we do.”

The borough also will invest in a police car as part of an ongoing reorganization of the Mars Borough Police Department that began a year and a half ago, Hartung said.

Hartung expects the new police car to become available for use sometime during the 2023 budget year, likely midway through the year or during the year’s third quarter.

“It’d be a one-time purchase,” he said. “Every year, the idea is, there’d be a loan that came in to buy a new car. At the time when the new car came in, we’d order the car from Ford, so there’d be a new car sent to us. Again, they’re back ordered, because of shipments of parts.”

The council passed a resolution to conserve the same real estate tax rate as that of 2022, confirming there would be no changes to the existing real estate tax rate.