Lehigh County residents in 2015 will see an $8 reduction in their county tax bill.

The board of commissioners at the Oct. 24 meeting approved the 2015 budget by a vote of 7-2.

Voting in opposition were Commissioners Geoff Brace and David Jones Sr.

The tax break will come from nearly $1.25 million in budgetary reserves. The budget amounts to $369 million.

Commissioner Percy Dougherty was the only one to offer a public comment on the budget.

"There are sections in there that some of us may not be happy with, but we're voting on the whole package. In general it's a very good package," he said.

Th budget includes 16 amendments, including a $1.25 million tax cut.

Amendments relating to county employees include the elimination of longevity pay for non-bargaining unit employees in 2015; the capping of a two percent wage increase for non-bargaining unit employees at a maximum of $1,000; and offering a 2016 bonus to all non-union county employees if a surplus of at least $2 million is accomplished by the end of 2015.

County Executive Tom Muller, who is opposed to the county employee amendments, said they will lead to non-union employees organizing in support of unionization.

Muller has 10 days to veto the budget from the time of its passage by the commissioners.