Pip the Mouse had a blast, but Lehigh County Comm'r Dean Browning repeatedly took it on the chin during last night's 3 1/2 hour budget hearing. Artsy fartsies, tipped off that Browning was trying to reduce their county grants for the second time in two years, prepared for Mortal Combat.
Arts Museum Director Robert Metzgar was so mad his teeth nearly fell out. "What are you, cRaZy?" is how he started from the podium. From there, things went downhill. He told Commissioners they could forget being re-elected if they insisted on these cuts. "You're going to bring the wrath of our community down on you," he roared. When Commissioners nervously laughed at this old dude on his way to cardiac arrest, he yelled even more. "Something funny up there?" Metzgar looked like he wanted to hop over the dais and roll around with both Glenn Eckhart and Dean Browning, but must have had second thoughts. He settled by condemning Browning's proposal to cut $100 thousand from quality of life grants as a "draconian insane cut." After being repeatedly condemned, Dean Browning finally said, "I get it. I'm a Visigoth barbarian."
Last night's real savior of these arts grants was Pip the Mouse himself, who left his little condo at Liberty Bell Museum to make a rare personal appearance before Commissioners. Too upset to speak, the museum director had to do it for him. Now Pip pretended to be nice, but the little bastard was worse than Metzgar. After the meeting, when Browning tried to start his car, a little mouse bomb exploded. It caused no damage, but Sheriff Rossi will investigate if Commissioners give him four new deputies and a Caddy.Commissioners considered twelve amendments to Exec Don Cunningham's no-tax-increase budget. Of these dirty dozen, only three proposals survived: a LANTA accounting accommodation; a Percy Dougherty proposal to cut office supplies by ten percent; and an ambiguous deal concerning constable fees.
Commissioners did attempt to eliminate, or at least reduce, a planned 2.5% payraise for nonunion workers. Since they will be paying 33% more for their health care, this basically means most of them would see smaller checks next year.
DA Jim Martin, who usually prosecutes the bad guys, spent last evening repeatedly defending the good guys, the people who make Lehigh County tick. In a forceful presentation, he told them to "do the right thing and for the right reasons. You're going to be taking away the most from the people who can least afford it. It's not, with all due respect, presented for the right reasons. In my opinion, it's nothing more than political posturing, doing an expedient thing politically, at the expense of people who run this government." When they suggested eliminating cell phones, the DA flatly told them they are necessary, and he had in fact received several calls during the meeting. He promised to take Commissioners to court if they interfered with law enforcement.
As you may have guessed, the cell phone proposal went down in flames, with only Percy Dougherty thinking it might be a good idea in some other departments. Attempts to reduce or eliminate payraises were also defeated. Glenn Eckhart, Percy Dougherty and Andy Roman did agree with Browning's 1% compromise.
The deal with constable fees is unclear. It appears that constables have promised that the county will get at least $150 thousand next year. Cunningham Administrator Tom Muller admitted his proposal to employ sheriffs is risky, and agreed to wait a year to see if constables and magistrates can add to the county coffers. Only Andy Roman supported the notion of hiring more sheriffs. "The winds have dramatically shifted here. ... The winds have changed a little too quickly for me."
Wait 'till next year, Andy. A cold wind will be blowing when the next budget is presented. A year from now, the foo foos in designer suits will be replaced by angry taxpayers in flannel shirts, asking the same question Arts Director Metgar posed, "What are you, cRaZy?"
Update #2: For a detailed commentary from a conservative who actually attended last night's budget hearing, I invite you to read Ken Petrini's "Profiles in Cowardice."
34 comments:
I say we go after the "Arts" funding big time next year. The gall of this crowd to think they are owed support on the backs of the taxpayers.
Scott Armstrong
Fiscal irresponsibility this year will only make Cunningham's tax bomb larger next year. That stupid mouse has more sense than most LC taxpayers, who seem to accept this nonsense - from either party. It's not as if we haven't been down this road before. Don will leave his turd on the carpet and simply move on to his next job.
Bernie,
Haven't read this entry yet but can tellyou that either yesterday or the day before Glenn Eckert on Gunther revealed all sorts of
budget stuff. Wish you had heard show.
Every year Pip goes through unwarranted stress for a host that weighs about 2 ounces and greets children with a smile every holiday season.
Why don't they televised these meetings for seniors who can't go!
Thanks for telling us the truth.
Too many rumors about a county tax hike to not have some truth. If only Ott could discover it.
Arts Museum Director Robert Metzgar was so mad his teeth nearly fell out.
Hope some of those great implant docs are reading this! Good lead, Bernie.
Bernie,
What'a LANTA accounting something.
What is that?
The LANTA deal was to reduce the amount of money for operating and increase the amount for capital, or the reverse. Whatever it was, it was revenue neutral and strictly an accounting something.
"Why don't they televised these meetings for seniors who can't go!"
Browning tried to get funding for video a few months ago, but was shot down.
"Too many rumors about a county tax hike to not have some truth. If only Ott could discover it."
Barring some miracle, LC will see a tax hike next year.
" Glenn Eckert on Gunther revealed all sorts of
budget stuff."
Not a lot of room for cuts uunlerss you want to lay people off. Incidentally, LC will do tha if it has to do it. Muller claims he's been doing it the past 4 years.
Government employees rarely get laid off. While the unemployment rate in the private sector has skyrocketed, government employment is way up. We'll pay the bill later - or just stick our ungrateful kids with it. Our grandparents left us messes like Social Security to clean up. We're just doing our part for the debt legacy thing. Eat, drink, and be merry. For tomorrow, we die.
Layoffs have a lot of visceral appeal, and Cunningham actually does do that. last night, Tom Muller told comm'rs he's been doing it for four years where needed. but here's some problems: (1) County services and workers are needed the most when times are bad; and (2) Layoffs ruin morale and drive the workforce right into the arms of unions.
NC is now dealing w/ a hodgepodge of 11 unions thands to layoffs. Some workers are so bitter they've been ruined.
The questions that should be asked is ... What is the Core Purpose of County Government ? Does funding Non-Profit Cultural Activities advance the Core purpose of County Government? If not, what extenuating conditions exist that it would be to the County's best interest to use taxpayer dollars to support Non Core Purpose Cultural Activities? Certainly Non Core Purpose cultural activities are needed in our society least society become sterile and loose its focus from where we came from..Certainly the County cannot fund every Non Purpose cultural activity that seeks funding to totally of partially fund their budgets ... Therefore these decisions cannot help but be subjective in nature... But to go cold turkey on all Cultural activity support is somewhat like Cromwell whitewashing all the wonderful art work in English Churches during the Commonwealth period of Englan he ruled.
Comments by Dennis Pearson ... former applicant for the District 3 Commissioner seat vacancy now occupied by David Jones.
Dean Browning as Oliver Cromwell? My view is that he did his job last night, acting as a check and balance on the exec. He reviewed a budget, looking for areas to reduce spending. Although a dozen amendments were proposed, they were verty minor, which tells me this was already a tight budget. I applaud him and the one woman in the audience who actually spoke against these grants. I also applaud those who supported them. It's called democracy, which works best if you actually participate. Dennis, you are one of the biggest participants, so you know this.
Not a whole lot of wiggle room actually since only 25% of the county's budget actually comes from taxpayers..
From Don Cunningham's statement on Aug. 31st..
"The proposed 2010 budget is $412.3 million in total. More than half of that spending total is either state or federal pass-through money or as in the case at the Cedarbrook nursing homes ($60.4 million) paid for by residents, not taxpayers. The county taxpayer funded portion of the 2010 budget is $110.9 million, only about 25 percent of the total budget.
The proposed 2010 budget will have the smallest employee complement the county has had in 20 years. The proposed complement of 2,177 full-time employees is less than the county has had since before 1990..
70 cents of every dollar that we spend of county taxpayer money goes to what we call Law and Order .
After looking over the 2010 proposed budget (Aug. 31), I find it very difficult to reduce expenses in any meaningful way.
Can anyone find anything that would result in actual meaningful reductions? I couldn't.
If $100,000 would have been cut from the arts in the taxpayers portion of a $110.9 million income it would have only represented less then a .1% savings OR less then .25% of the TOTAL budget.
Even if pay raises of $873,468 would have been eliminated (nonunion) it would have only represented less then .8% savings out of the taxpayer's $110.9 million portion.
It's more a matter saving pennies while the revenue is going down in dimes.
What we have here folks is a dilemma!
What we have here are politicians who have been giving away the farm in exchange for union support. They have been able to cover this by increasing amounts of debt and spending down the unnecessarily high tax increase of the previous administration. Next year what they have done will be apparent to the taxpayers.
The only way to undo it is to begin re-negotiating the labor contracts, layoffs or privatizing county functions wherever possible to reduce the labor-related costs of county government (the county's biggest expense).
Sticking it to the taxpayers next year is not an acceptable option. Neither is acting like there is no problem in an election year.
We're watching what is going on now, and sharpening extra pitchforks to give to our fellow taxpayers when they wake up after next year's tax hike.
Que pasa "Pip The Mouse"?
Viva La Revolucion!
I like the part about the pass-through money.
Only 25% of the budget comes from taxpayers? That is the abject stupidity that has put this country in the fix it is in.
You do know your hero, the benevolent federal government, is broke and owned largely by the PRC, and the state is not far behind, right? But you'll take the largesse so you can all sit around and say "Golly, we ain't gonna have no tax increase this year".
We are doomed.
"(1) County services and workers are needed the most when times are bad; and (2) Layoffs ruin morale and drive the workforce right into the arms of unions."
(1) No layoffs, just salary freezes or cuts - like everybody else who's managed to still have a job and (2) what's wrong with collectively bargaining? I thought liberals liked unions.
"Largesse"
Que?
I have deleted all Villa commentary. Folks, please try and ignore him. I will always take out the trrash, though some days it takes longer than others.
Anon 2:01, There ahas been a hiring "frost" in LC, if not a downright freeze. Employment is at its lowest level since 1990. There is no way a freeze will prevent new taxes. The only way that can happen is with massive layoffs, and that will drive people into unions and ruin morale. I consider unions a necessary eveil, but am very cognizant of the damage they can inflict. I see it first hand w/ the 11 unions in NC.
There's no way a freeze will prevent a tax increase, but savings far larger than 10% on paper clips were rejected last night.
They could have adopted every amendment and it still will not prevent a tax increase next year if the economy continues on the same path. The only cuts that can prevent that are massive layoffs, and that is both unrealistic and an abdication of the county's responsibilities.
Agree. Let's just spend, spend, spend, because the situation is hopeless. Property owners are entitled pricks anyway. They can pick up the tab.
Hate to sound like a broken record, but Cunningham's chief of staff Frank Kane is a full-time Lehigh County employee with an office, benefits, and an expense account. He has no County responsibilities, only works with Cunningham campaign donors and supporters. Corbett prosecuted Harrisburg pols for doing this kind of work at the taxpayers' expense, but Cunningham keeps Kane on the public payroll with impunity. Why? Especially during economic hard times?
Frank Kane is Cunningham's chief of staff and was working with no doors at last night's lengthy commissioners' meeting.
If I was on the Commissioners and that stick up the ass Metzgar talked and acted that way, I would have told him he convinced me to vote for Brownings amendment.
I would be sure to say that prior to your assclown show I was opposed but if you are what is defending this grant then go browbeat someone else.
There are a class of people out there that are worse then any welfare queen. They are the quasi-well to do who live off the public tit via grants and such. Then they believe they are entitled and scream if denied their honey.
He wants to save PIP, tell him to get a part-time job.
Jackazz!@$%
Well said anon 9:03
The picture of Martin says it all about the failing R's, both in LC and more broadly.
Look closely. What do you see? Not a personal attack, but a statement of fact. An overweight, red-faced, white-guy in a suit, lifetime pol demanding more because it's "the right thing", for him, anyway. The real-life depiction of the caricature the D's use in their villification crusades. One of those, "I'm all for small, limited government, as long as I get mine" guys. When it comes time to walk the walk, he is what they say he is. RINO.
You might feel the need to delete, but I'm sure this wasn't lost on you or others.
You're a pretty shrewd dude, and I'll bet you may have even posted that pic at the head of the post on purpose. And for that, Kudos.
It makes the case for remaking the party much better than any conservative ranting.
He does look like too much Jack Daniels and too little jogging.
But Jim is a good guy. He believes in what he says.
Speaking of medical, I heard something to the effect that the County requires the spouse of County employee to maintain their own medical if it is offered through another employeer even though the County employee contributes. I also heard that if both spouses work for the County, they get some kind of pass on the contribution. The suggestion was a single person working for the County pays more for medical than a married couple who are both employeed by the County. If this is indeed true, I have trouble in finding the logic.
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