Taxes and sewage rates are going up in tentative 2004 budgets approved for advertising Wednesday by Stoneboro council.

Council members eliminated some of the $50,482 that was showing as a deficit in last month's preliminary figures. They dropped the estimate of general fund expenditures from $322,414 to $287,757 and increased projected income to $290,032 from the $271,932.

However, the budget adjustments were not enough to prevent an increase in both real estate and per capita taxes.

Real estate taxes will jump from this year's 13.3 mills to 15 mills, about 13 percent. A mill is $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value based on the last assessment in 1970. For example, a typical property assessed at $20,000 would carry a $300 real estate tax bill.

This year's per capita tax of $5 will double to $10 for next year.