The proposed Salisbury Township 2026 budget calls for a 1-mill tax increase, from 3.77 mills to 4.77 mills, or an increase of 26%.

The proposed tax increase is $233, which is $19 per month. Real estate taxes are to increase from $861 in 2025 to $1,089 in 2026. The proposed tax increase is based on the Salisbury Township Median Tax Assessment of $233,000.

Also proposed is an increase of $.0010 per gallon in the water rate, if connected to the Salisbury Township water system. For a family of four that uses 13,000 gallons of water per quarter, the increase is $52, or from $504 in 2025 to $556 in 2026.

The water rate increase for those connected to the Salisbury Township water system is a pass-through from Lehigh County Authority.

The proposed budget states: “We have received 4.55% rate increase in water purchases from Lehigh County Authority needing to be passed on to user. Water fund operating and capital needs continue to increase and to cover the current and future costs of the fund.”

Also proposed is an increase of $3 per quarter in the sewer rate for an annual increase of $12, or from $356 in 2025 to $368 in 2026. The sewer rate increase for those connected to the Salisbury Township sewer system is a pass-through from Lehigh County Authority.

There is no proposed increase in the cost of trash collection, which was $432 in 2025 and is proposed to be $432 in 2026.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 at the Nov. 13 meeting to approve a motion authorizing the advertisement of the proposed 2026 budget for public inspection. Commissioner Alex Karol made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Heather Lipkin, to bring the motion on the budget to a vote.

The budget must be advertised for 20 days before its adoption.

Total township revenue is $24,096,913.

The general fund revenue budget for 2026 is $12,806,733, up from $11,811,470 for 2025.

Total township expenses are is $24,096,913.

A copy of the 355-page 2026 township draft budget can be read on the township website: https://salisburylehighpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026-Draft-Budget-11-13-2025-web.pdf.

A copy of the draft budget can also be read during business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, at the township administration offices, 2900 S. Pike Ave. For more information, call 610-797-4000.

The next board of commissioners’ meeting is 7 p.m. Nov. 25, a Tuesday, instead of Nov. 27, a Thursday, which is the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

Commissioners have said they hope to approve the 2026 budget and tax ordinance for adoption at the 7 p.m. Dec. 11 township meeting. If necessary, commissioners have scheduled a meeting 7 p.m. Dec. 23, a Tuesday, instead of Dec. 27, a Thursday, which is the Christmas Day holiday.

The township real estate tax increase from 2025 to 2026 is a 26% increase, Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus said in a phone interview Nov. 16 with The Press.

In the phone interview, Ziegenfus enumerated the reasons for the 2026 tax increase.

“In general, revenues have decreased, specifically in the area of real estate transfer tax. The housing market has declined compared to the two previous years,” Ziegenfus said.

“Overall, tax assessments have declined due to tax assessment appeals, in residential and commercial. They appeal to the county. Sometimes, we’ll appeal the appeal. But overall, the county has been assessing values lower,” Ziegenfus said.

“And house prices have been going up,” Ziegenfus added.

“Our hope is that Burlington [retail store] and Giant [supermarket grocery store] coming in [at the South Mall] and Vistas [at South Mountain 88-unit townhouse development] will increase assessed values,” Ziegenfus said.

“After Bon-Ton [store closed], the assessed value decreased $9 million on the South Mall,” Ziegenfus noted.

“In general, we’ve seen a continued increase in township operating expenses. That’s salaries, benefits, supplies, equipment, materials. The cost to get the work done has increased due to inflationary increases,” Ziegenfus said.

“The biggest increase we’ve seen has been in health insurance and materials and equipment. What we could buy before has almost doubled in price,” Ziegenfus said in the phone interview.

In a press release provided to The Press by the township administration at the Nov. 13 township meeting, the township administration said the tax increase would aid the capital fund and “debt for radios,” the latter referring to a 0% loan over five years for required new police and EMS communications equipment, estimated to cost nearly $1 million.

The press release provided a pie chart diagram depicting estimated 2026 real estate taxes based on the township median tax assessment:

Salisbury Township: $1,089

Salisbury Township School District: $863

Lehigh County: $5,673

The chart lists township services provided that include: police, public works, zoning, planning, parks and recreation, fire-EMS, library and administration.

The chart lists Salisbury Township School District services provided that include: Salisbury Elementary School, Salisbury Middle School and Salisbury High School.

The chart lists Lehigh County services provided that include: district attorney, public defender, courts-sheriff’s office, parks-agricultural, fiscal-assessment, administration-DCED, EMS 911 and children and youth-probation.

According to the proposed budget’s executive summary:

“The first draft of the general fund budget reflected a $1.6-million deficit. As we looked at revenue estimates, we believe we are budgeting revenue at conservative levels not relying on funding that we can’t count on.

“As we reviewed individual department budgets with department heads, we are recommending at this time to not replace two positions becoming vacant and have pushed back purchasing one piece of equipment for public works and two police cars. This resulted in a reduction of approximately $400,000.

“If we want to continue providing current services at the same level, we believe it will be detrimental to cut expenditures any further as it would limit our ability to improve the township’s infrastructure.

“We are proposing the remaining budget shortfall to be covered by an increase of real estate taxes by increasing the tax millage by 1.0 mills. This will generate an additional $1.2 million in general fund revenue,” states the budget’s executive summary.