Future NorCo Exec Raises Concerns With 2026 Proposed Budget

NorCo Executive Lamont McClure has proposed a budget for next year, which is currently under review by County Council. Whatever they decide, incoming Executive Tara Zrinski will inherit it. And she has noticed some problem areas concerning the pension fund, stabilization fund, the elimination of two programs at the jail and county contributions for open space and a required watershed study. Here's what she has to say:

As Northampton County Controller, I have reviewed the proposed 2026 County budget and followed the public hearings over the past several weeks. While I appreciate County Council and the administration for their ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility, I have significant concerns about underfunded areas that pose long-term risks to our county’s financial stability.

One of my most pressing concerns is the inadequate funding for retiree obligations, including pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) such as retiree healthcare. The latter is not as concerning because of limited eligibility for future retiree healthcare since the 2010 resolution vacating the County’s obligation to extend healthcare to retirees that don’t meet the longevity threshold.

Deferring these commitments may appear to balance the budget in the short term, though, but it places future budgets—and taxpayers—at greater potential risk. With volatile market conditions, rising healthcare costs, and the continued drawdown of our emergency stabilization fund, the county’s financial margins have grown too narrow to absorb additional shocks.

While County Council proposed an ordinance increasing the stabilization fund from 5% - 6%, they have not indicated from where these funds will arise. In order to balance the budget they have to take money from one pot and place it in that stabilization fund. I’m deeply concerned about reductions in funding to core county programs, which is already apparently happening particularly within our Department of Corrections with this current proposed budget.

The proposed elimination of programming such as LEAP and Pinebrook Services represents a step backward for initiatives that have proven effective in rehabilitation and reducing recidivism. At a moment when we are uncertain whether we can sustain payroll for essential human service employees in children and youth services into 2026, cuts to these successful programs are especially troubling. If we cannot sustain these line items this year, it calls into question how we will maintain them in future years without new or additional sources of revenue.

Additionally, the proposed budget fails to include county contributions to Open Space Initiatives or Farmland Preservation—longstanding commitments to protecting our environment and quality of life. I am also concerned that the statutory obligation to fund the Pennsylvania Act 167 Watershed Study has not been accounted for in this proposal.

My concerns are not political; they are fiduciary. It is my legal and ethical duty as Controller to identify systemic risks that could undermine Northampton County’s fiscal health. County Council has asked thoughtful questions throughout the hearings, but it will be critical that they act decisively before adopting a final budget.

I will continue to carefully analyze the proposed budget and raise awareness of any additional risks. Transparency, accountability, and long-term financial sustainability remain my top priorities as we work to secure a stable future for Northampton County.

ICE Is Going Too Far

When he campaigned for election, Donald Trump did his best to paint a dark image of a country suffering an invasion at the hands of millions of foreign criminals and terrorists. He did what he does best - he pandered to our darker natures. It is one thing to say that an immigrant with a serious criminal record should be deported. Most of us would agree.  But Trump went further, dehumanizing our immigrants, even those here legally, as pet-eating "animals". Now that he's President, Trump has gone after our immigrant population with the same gusto that Hitler displayed in going after Jews. Hitler used brown-shirted SA (Sturmabteilung) thugs while Trump has designated mask-wearing ICE agents. As of last week, ICE had 66,000 people in detention camps, the most it has ever held in a single week.  But how many of these detainees are actually pet-eating cartel members?  According to CATO, which is no left-leaning think tank, about 7% of detainees are violent criminals. 65% had no convictions. Over 90% had no serious criminal convictions. In fact, as of October 16, ProPublica reports that at least 170 US citizens have been detained. 

While a majority of American voters certainly supported a crackdown on illegal immigration and the deportation of illegal violent criminals, I doubt they expected the tactics being used by ICE to target just about anyone who looks a little different. And now it has happened in my own family.

A member of my family is currently dabbling in real estate. He buys small properties in Philly and then rehabs them and wither rents them out or sells them. He found a fellow named Eduardo to do most of the remodeling work for him. Eduardo spends a lot of his time going to local Home Depots and other hardware stores to get the materials he needs. Apparently, ICE is focusing on Home Depots and construction sites to conduct its sweeps because Eduardo was stopped after visiting one last week. 

He is a lawful permanent resident with no criminal record. He is just a hard worker. He was asked to produce his papers, which he does not carry on his person. He explained he could get them, but ICE just detained him.

That was on Monday of last week.

In the meantime, the real estate tycoon in my family had texted Eduardo about the cabinets and flooring on one of his projects. 

Fortunately, ICE did allow Eduardo to contact his wife. She got him a lawyer, and he was released from detention on Friday. 

He returned to work that day.

Now I know many of you voted for Trump. But I doubt you expected this overkill which, like it or not, is eerily similar to the tactics used by Hitler. 

I am not calling him Hitler, but I am making very clear that we are on a dangerous path. I suspect this ICE over-reach, which goes far beyond what we expect of  our country, played a part in last week's Democratic victory. It's not that Democrats are being embraced so much as a rejection of Trump's excesses.  

US Senate Deal to End Federal Shutdown

As I write this blog, the U.S. Senate is actually in session, arguing for and against a deal that will end the record 39-day federal government shutdown. This shutdown has led to a suspension of SNAP (food stamp) benefits, canceled flights across the country, federal layoffs and payless paydays for numerous government employees. Though Republicans have a majority in both the House and Senate, they have been unable to prevent a shutdown because Senate rules require 60 votes to end the debate. 

The key sticking point for Democrats has been Republican refusal to extend subsidies under the Affordable Care Act for one more year. 

Under the deal, the government will be funded through the end of January. Senate Republicans have promised a vote on the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies during the second week of December. There is no guarantee that the vote will pass or that the House will bring the matter to a vote. 

Seven Democrats and one Independent support the legislation to end the shutdown. They are Dick Durbin (Ill), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), John Fetterman (Pa), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev), Maggie Hassan (NH), Tim Kaine (Va), Jacky Rosen (Nev) and Angus King (Me). 

Although voters appear to have held Republicans responsible for this shutdown, the truth is that Democrats have been happy to cut off our noses to spite our faces over health care subsidies. that were set to expire at the end of this year. As consequential as this will be for many Americans, it is less painful than it is to starve children. 

Enough is enough already. 

NorCo Council Appropriates $4,000 for Centenarian Luncheon on November 10

At their November 6 meeting, NorCo Council voted 8-0 to appropriate $4,000 from their contingency fund for this year's annual centenarian luncheon on November 10 at Green Pond Country Club. Executive Lamont McClure had postponed the event as a result of the state budget impasse. 

Council member Ron Heckman said it was a "sad state of affairs" that the county was unable to come up with $4,000 from a half billion-dollar budget to honor people who've lived even longer than him. 

Council member Ken Kraft, participating by phone, was unable to vote. The other eight Council members voted Yes. 

NorCo Council Considers Increasing Rainy Day Fund From 5 to 10% of General Fund

At their November 6 meeting, Northampton County Council introduced an ordinance that will increase its stabilization, or rainy-day fund, from 5 to 10% of the general fund. It's what former Council member Ron Angle liked to call the "seed corn." If passed, it will become effective in January 2027. This, it has no impact on the stabilization fund proposed for next year by Executive Lamont McClure. 

His proposed rainy-day fund for next year is $8.6 million, slightly above the minimum required by a current Council ordinance. This has been a sticking point with Council members John Brown and John Goffredo, who argue it should be higher for precisely the kind of emergency created as a result of the current state budget impasse. 

McClure, however, has long maintained that letting this money sit unused amounts to overtaxing county property owners. As Executive and before that as a Council member, McClure has long argued for leaner rainy-day funds.

NorCo Elections Comm's to Meet November 18, 3 PM

Acting Administrator Michael Colon announced at last night's meeting of NorCo Council that the Elections Commission will meet on Tuesday, November 18, 3 pm, in County Council chambers. Since they are meeting in Council chambers, it will hopefully be available on YouTube. At that meeting, Elections Registrar Chris Commini will give his report on the most recent election. 

Colon did discuss a few problems encountered in the days leading up to the election.

In Easton City Council race for District Two, a voter received a mail-in ballot for another district. The elections office nullified the ballot and provided this voter with the correct ballot. It also reached out to the 48 people in that district who received ballots that day (by email, phone or call) to give them the option to get new ballots and have the ballot sent nullified. These votes will be segregated and counted separately. It should be noted that even if all of them received the wrong ballot, it makes no difference because the winner, Julie Zando-Dennis, won by over 300 votes. 

Colon also addressed the machine ballots for school district candidates who were cross-filed, who are only listed once and only on the Democratic side of the ballot. (The cross-filed candidate appears on the side of the Governor's party He noted this change was made necessary by the 2019 changes to the Election Code. I believe this interpretation of the Election Code is incorrect, but the President Judge has a different view. His opinion matters a bit more than that of a dumpster-diving blogger. 

Finally, Colon addressed the situation in which two elections commissioners asked to see Executive Lamont McClure to view the physical machine. One of these Comm'rs, Scott Hough, said that McClure walked out without even acknowledging them. But Colon told County Council that McClure simply was unaware at the time he left that the Commissioners were there to see him. 

Colon also said that the request for an elections commission meeting on the day before the election was simply impossible as the Registrar is busy that day.  

Tax Break For Luxury Apartments at Wilson Borough's Dixie Cup Fails With NorCo Council

Kristen Bertucci is with the Recovery Partnership, a nonprofit that provides mental health recovery services in the Lehigh Valley. At last night's NorCo Council meeting, she provided a list of human services vendors who have received no or only partial payments from the county for the past five months as a result of the state's inability to adopt a budget. Her own staff has been laid off, and she wonders if they'll be there if and when the state legislature finally gets its head out of its ass. To make matters worse, she notes that SNAP (food assistance) benefits "for the most vulnerable in our community" have been suspended as a result of the federal shutdown. She said this deprives many people of their "most fundamental human need." The only constant she has observed is a "complete disregard" that taxpaying citizens receive from all levels of government. "These actions tell us that we don't matter, at least not as much as a bond rating or in comparison to a real estate taxpayer. " she concluded, and she's right.  The county has stopped paying human services vendors. Human services caseworkers, who investigate abuse claims against seniors and children, have possible furloughs hanging over their heads like the sword of Damocles.  Against this backdrop, County Council was being asked to give a 20-year real estate tax break amounting to as much as $29 million to an out-of-town developer with no experience. He has already received handouts from the state and wants even more.  The noble purpose of this largesse? Luxury apartments at the old Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough. He was able to find the money to buy the Planet Fitness building next to the Dixie Cup factory, but wants government to help him build high-end apartments. 

I'd say the only idiots who would support this type of obscenity would have to be snorting cocaine. In fact, that's precisely what Stan Margle, the Wilson Borough lawyer who pushed this project before County Council and insulted them in the process, is accused of doing. 

Last night, after months of delay between the developer and an industrial development authority, County Council was finally asked to voter on the matter.

Council member Jeff Warren bloviated over the phone and apparently thinks the tax break should be granted because his grandfather once worked at Dixie. He called this decaying hulk of a factory a historic building. He contended we already give tax breaks to multimillion dollar corporations "out the wazoo."  I'm uncertain how this argument is even logical, but there it is. His real argument is the promise that the apartments will be built with trade union labor. 

Other Council members had different views. John Goffredo said the county is making no payments for pensions this year and predicts it will soon have to raise taxes. John Brown argued that the developer's willingness to contribute $1 towards affordable housing is too low. Ron Heckman said he does not think a TIF should be awarded for one building with one developer. He said the county should be more concerned about human services. Lori Vargo Heffner said she's opposed to a tax break at a time when county finances are uncertain. 

County Council voted to reject the tax break in a 5-4 vote. Goffredo, Brown, Vargo Heffner, Heckman and Tom Giovanni voted No. Voting Yes were Kelly Keegan, Jeff Warren, Ken Kraft and Jeff Corpora. 

After the meeting, the county issued a news release attacking its own County Council. Here's a portion of the news release, using county resources to attack a branch of its own government:

“The council was presented with a straightforward plan to breathe life back into a site that has sat empty for 42 years,” said County Executive McClure. “They continue to prove themselves to be the most useless county council in home rule history.”

“At a time when action was needed, Council dropped the ball, turning a chance for progress into yet another chapter of missed opportunity.”

If he thinks this Council is bad, wait until next year. 

Frankly, there is no compelling reason for this handout. The only jobs it will produce will be temporary union jobs that will end once the apartments are complete.  It will make housing more unaffordable. Nearby landlords will increase their rents. And no one will see any increase in tax revenue for 20 years, if then. 

PJ Craig Dally Denies Ballot Challenges Filed by Cross-Filed Nazareth Area School Board Candidates

In a well-considered Opinion and Order issued yesterday, President Judge Craig A Dally denied petitions to correct ballot errors filed by Nazareth Area School Board candidates Wendy Whiteash and Linda Stubits. Both had cross-filed and expected to see their names listed under both parties, which is precisely how cross-filed candidates appeared on a ballot prior to the massage changes to the Election Code enacted in 2019. Instead, they were listed only once, as "Democratic/Republican," on the Democratic side of the ballot. They were listed on the Democratic side because cross-filed candidates are listed under the party of the Governor in office. Both are Republicans, and they argued that the way they were listed would discourage partisan Republicans from voting for them. Both candidates, incidentally, won their election on Tuesday. 

Though they acted pro se, Judge Dally notified the county of their concerns and conducted a two-hour hearing on Friday. Although he acknowledged that he has the authority to issue an Order to correct a "mistake or omission" in a ballot, he noted that he is also bound by strict rules of statutory interpretation that prevent a judge from disregarding the letter of the law under the pretext of "pursuing its spirit." He then went on to point out that the current Election Code provides that, for cross-filed candidates, "[t]heir name shall be printed once."

In a footnote, Judge Dally observes that the 2019 changes to the Election Code under Act 77 were the very same that instituted mail-in balloting as well as the elimination of straight party voting. He concludes this change "effectively eliminated the requirement to list cross-filed candidates on both sides of the ballot as voters could no longer vote for candidates only from one of the parties with a single mark or act." He also pointed out that Act 77 was challenged and upheld by the state supreme court. 

In addition, Judge Dally contends that this is matter that should have been brought to the Elections Commission. He received no evidence that the Elections Commission failed to properly review the ballot before the election.

I very much appreciate the time Judge Dally took to weigh these concerns, although I disagree with his conclusions. It is true that Act 77 provides that the name of a cross-filed candidate shall be listed once, but it never states that the name shall be listed "only" once. The conclusion that the name shall be published only once is itself a matter of statutory interpretation that goes beyond the language of the statute. 

It's also true that Act 77 eliminated straight party voting, but even if a candidate is listed under both sides as a Democrat and as a Republican, it is still impossible to vote straight party. This double -labeling just prevents voters from thinking that a cross-filed candidate whose name is listed under a Democratic Governor is actually a Democrat. It also would prevent voters from thinking that a cross-filed candidate whose name is listed under a Republican Governor is actually a Republican. 

I am aware that Act 77 has been upheld, but not on this issue. 

I'd agree that the Elections Commission would be the proper venue for this challenge in the first instance. But unfortunately, the Court was never presented with evidence that the Elections Commission was itself never provided with an opportunity to review the ballot. 

Finally, I'd contend, under Judge Dally's interpretation of Act 77, it violates the Pa Constitution requirement that all elections be "free and fair." There is nothing fair about penalizing a cross-filed ballot by restricting her to one side of the ballot. But unfortunately, courts have no authority to raise constitutional issues on their own and operate from a presumption that all statutes are constitutional. 

I'd hope that the state legislature revises Act 77 or that the language be challenged in a future action in which the courts and parties have more time to consider all issues. 

PJ Craig Dally Denies Petition to Correct Ballot Challenge Filed by Wendy Whiteash by BernieOHare