For the second consecutive year, Farrell residents will not see a hike in their property taxes.

Council made that official Monday when it unanimously adopted the 2004 general fund budget after a second reading.

The adopted spending plan of $2,201,775 was about $7,000 less than what was introduced last week because of a reduction in pension state aid from $52,000 to $45,231. Expenditures also reflected that reduction through a cut in the non-uniformed pension payment from $58,139 to $51,370 in order to present a balanced budget.

The biggest allocation of $877,700 is the city's payment for Southwest Regional Police Department. Farrell's payment, about 82 percent of the overall department budget, is the largest of the three municipalities served by the force. Police also serve Wheatland and West Middlesex.

The biggest increases in the budget are for employee and retiree health insurance, City Manager LaVon Saternow said last week. She said that this year, the city's cost was $8,820 per employee. Next year it will be $10,500.

The real estate tax levy will remain at 22.67 mills. A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property value based on that property's 1970 market value. At 22.67 mills, a property assessed at $30,000 would carry a tax bill of $680.