The Express Times' Sarah Cassi broke the disturbing news late this afternoon that Northampton County Executive John Stoffa has proposed a 9.3% tax hike next year. Before last night's couny council meeting, Stoffa was quizzed by the press. Here's a few points.* The total budget is is $330 million, a drop from last year's budget of $362 million.
* If adopted, this would be the third year in a row that the budget has decreased.
* Stoffa asked department heads to cut 10% from their budgets, and and has made no new additional hires. The Courts are calling for 4 new employees and the DA is reportedly seeking 2 additional people, but Stoffa noted he will not interfere with those independent offices. "We have no control over that."
* The reason for the increase? Real estate tax revenue is stagnant, but costs continue to rise.
* Stoffa will maintain a hefty fund balance, which will be somewhere between $35 and $45 million at the end of next year. "That fund balance has enabled us to pay our bills, unlike some other counties," he noted referring to how severely the state budget impasse has affected some counties.
* The budget will be posted on the county web page for public inspection on Friday.
"* The reason for the increase? Real estate tax revenue is stagnant, but costs continue to rise."
ReplyDeleteThen cut deeper.
You can only cut so deep before county services are compromised. But I would look very hard at each department, and one comes immediately to mind.
ReplyDeleteThis was anticipated. Stoffa has mismanaged the huge budget surpluses given him four years age. This inept administration has accomplished nothing in four years except just be there and they have run through all the money.
ReplyDeleteWow, wait till the tax increase in 2011.
Well, with all due respect, my revenues (income) this year went DOWN over 30%, and my expenses have gone up, with PPL getting ready to put the hammer down in January.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the luxury of reaching into anyone's pocket and taking the money I need to avoid "compromising the services" I provide to my family. We will make hard decisions, and there are things we will do without.
I don't know which areas can be cut, glad to know you think there is at least one.
If services are cut, maybe people will have to become a little more resourceful. I'll never forget the blizzard of '95. We lived in a section of South Allentown and had out of town guests stuck with us for the better part of a week. The city said they weren't even thinking about coming to get do our streets, and we ended up clearing several streets ourselves. We didn't need the government to do that job for us, and we survived in spite of them.
When times are tough, that's when the human services supplied by a county government are needed the most. But I am certain council members will be looking for places to make cuts. I would start in the bloated sheriff's department, whose deputies already are sticking it to the taxpayers whenever they can. We don't need 8 of them to sit in the rotunda searching citizens who enter their own building.
ReplyDeleteDear 10:04, please share your address so the COunty can send you all the drug addicts, dealers, alcoholics, mentally retarded, schizophrenics, criminals, elderly poor that it takes care of and send them to your house. Since you're so good at snow shoveling Im sure you'll know what to do> Whew! Problem solved by South Allentown!
ReplyDeleteOf course ohare was going after the sheriffs, you knew that was coming.
ReplyDeleteHere are a few immediate cuts for County Council. The Assistant Dir. of Administration position. Stoffa once said it was unnecessary and went three years without it. Dump the position. it is a patronage do mothing job for an old Stoffa croony. The job in Community Development Stoffa gave to a Grucella chum, that can go too.
See two fast cuts right out of the gate, without comprimising our security because ohare is mad at the lawmen.
This guy has really screwed the pooch on this budget. He won't worry, the Republicans on Council have their marching orders on this budget since he is their candidate. I hope none of the Democrats vote for this crazy unneccesary tax hike.
He is your boy Angle you vote for the tax hike!
Poor Ds. It sucks when your big tax increase plans are put on hold. They're like kids on Christmas Eve when they get to vote for higher taxes. Stop Jonesing. You'll get your drugs (tax dollars) shortly.
ReplyDeleteStoffa is more mean and unfeeling toward this county's taxpayers than he is completely fiscally irresponsible and gutless in the face of those he should be laying off.
This increase in these times is sinful. Has this brain-surgeon read a frickin paper lately? People are hurting and he just sticks it to them - WITH A PROMISE TO COME BACK FOR STILL MORE OF HIS DRUG NEXT YEAR.
The contempt for taxpayers is typical, but still shocking. These politicians are simply vicious thieves.
Stoffa is being responsible. Rather than stealing from the rainy day fund he is requesting a realistic budget. The recession has taken a major slice from revenues. Rather than let county services diminish as Lehigh County has done, John is doing what's right. The cost is estimated about four dollars monthly for the average taxpayers..So buy a few less lotto tickets!!! The Republicans who are always crying about increases are the ones who can best afford the dollar per week increase. Maybe they'll have to cut back on the maid's salary or the butlers..
ReplyDeleteDump the sherrifs and cut the bloated union salaries and benefits.
ReplyDeleteGet rent a cops instead of sherrifs, they're just as effective
ReplyDelete12:01 - I have a better idea. Why don't you just pay for all that, since you think social services to people who screw up their lives such a good idea.
ReplyDeleteIf you and your nanny-state buddies hadn't created the ugly monster that is the victimhood society, we'd have a smaller number of losers to take care of, and need a smaller public apparatus to do it.
As for your bratty little quip: I'm not advertising for it, but if a drug dealer or other loser decides to come on my property, I won't need to cry help, like you. I'll handle that, like the snow plowing, myself.
Cry, cry, cry for your gubment cheese.
9:37...you call $11.00 per hour bloated union salary? That's what a row office employee makes when they come here.
ReplyDeleteRow office workers could use more money and work very hard. But in the Sheriff's department, where salaries are much, much higher, there simply is no excuse for having 8 deputies sitting in the rotunda at one time, as I have noticed. That's an indication that some high paid people, not row office workers, have nothing to do. I'd like them to justify the need for such a large staff when it can afford to have deputies conglomerate in the rotunda. I'd like deputies to concede that having 6 deputies per day to guard one inmate at a hospital is excessive and should be removed from the contract.
ReplyDeleteTaxpayers on fixed incomes should not have to pay for the excesses I've already outlined.
For the 17% of real unemployed, $11 plus bennies to start doesn't sound so bad. My wife's been laid off for seven months and we're selling belongings on Craig's List to pay a mortgage. I'm praying they'll rethink raising my taxes. I'm trying to keep my house.
ReplyDeleteStoffa is starting to look like the bum in DC. This is no time for any type of tax increase. I would agree with O'Hare on cutting the number of deputies but I would suggest that the DA does not get the 2 newbies and some of the guys in the prison can find work elsewhere. Add to that the fact that we can go to zero based budgeting and eliminate state mandates and we are talking some real savings.
ReplyDelete11:58 -
ReplyDeleteOur thoughts are with you and all those dealing with reality.
But, your post begs the question:
Why do you think you anyone should be worried that you might lose your house? Don't you realize that there are drug addicts and drug dealers and ne'er-do-wells that NEED - no, DESERVE -their services. There are deputies that need a raise. The courts and the DA need more help. And they all need a very nice place to give and receive government services, because, don't you know, they are human beings whose dignity must be upheld.
Your dignity? Not worth much to them, because you are trying to maintain it yourself, and not nosing up to the government trough.
We are talking about a dollar a week here people..get a grip already. Anyone who is even the least bit honest understands that they probably blow that much every day on non essential items..These anti tax anti government people are just plain out of their minds. I would bet that most of the right wingnuts that posted here already have gotten government assistance in one way or another or certainly will be getting Social Security and medicare..If it were up to the godforsaken Republicans and the anti government wackjobs, we'd have neither. Go Stoffa!! Ignore the morons!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 12.47 PM
ReplyDeleteI put my money into Social Security and what did LBJ and all those who followed do, they spent it after claiming this was a trust fund. This, of course, is exactly what FDR wanted to do from the beginning. Nothing is sacred when it comes to the Progressives and taxes.
Yes it is but a dollar a day but it is my dollar and I have paid a lot of dollars into all levels of government and what do I have for it? Nothing with the exception that a whole lot of people have become comfortable in their poverty.
If we had to take care of ourselves and did not have all of these damnable programs do you really believe we would be in this economic s--t pile we are currently in? We would have watched our dollars a lot closer then we did. We would not have allowed a Ponzi scheme like Social Security. We would not have Medicare and Medicaid. We could assist our neigbors during troubled time. As long as we contiune to give people a fish instead of teaching them to fish we will never get the situation corrected.
I suggest you take a look at what Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin had to say about debt and remember most of our Founders and Framers were of the same mind.
"Nothing with the exception that a whole lot of people have become comfortable in their poverty. "
ReplyDeleteyeah...NOTHING!!!!!
except i must presume that you don't:
-drive on public streets and highways
-require any law enforcement protection
-get gas from a gas station (pumps certified accurate by the county)
-eat local produce, which the farmer grew with assistance from the county ag extension
-utilize a public park
-keep money in a federally insured bank
-eat food certified as safe by the usda
etc, etc,
yep, for all you hermit hunter-gatherers out there, you get NOTHING for your tax dollars.
Anonymous 3:09
ReplyDeleteStoffa and the other tax increasers are counting on you and the other useful idiots
3:09 must be a sheriff.
ReplyDeleteAny Democrat on county council who votes for this silly tax increase is nuts. There is millions in the cash reserves and Stoffa wants to add more. he is a lifetime bureaucrat that has no understanding of anything but big government.
ReplyDeleteI say let his Republican supporters vote for the tax increase.
This 9.3% tax hike is actually one mill. That's a lot to people on fixed incomes. Even for people who are working, a small hit like that hurts during a recession. So I would strive for a budget that (a) keeps two months in reserve as a rainy day fund; (b) imposes the necessary sopending vuts to reduce or eliminate the tax increase.
ReplyDeleteTwo of the best financial minds in the LV, Vic Mazziotti and Doran Hammon, came up with this as the proposed budget. It will be tought to find cuts they did not see for themselves.
But to those of you who feel, like me, that the tax hike is too high, please take a close look at the budget, which is posted online. Come up with some specific solutions. I will be doing that myself.
TYhe wages in the Sheriff's office alone will go up $663k next year. That's too much. We can't change the contract, so I'd propose layoffs in that department.
I'd also eliminate the $250k slush fund maintained by council, which they use to dole out money throughout the year. if they do't have it, they can't be tempted.
I'd also reduce funding to agencies like LANTA, as Cunningham has proposed.
I will be looking at the budget over the next few days and invite all of you to make some specific suggestions. It's posted at the county web page. Council members actually read this blog, and one of you might come up with something that council members like. Most of our ideas will probably be unworkable, but we might collectively come up with something that works.
Instead of telling us Stoffa is a jerk or that it is the Rs' fault or the Ds' fault, let's come up with some specific answers.
Let's get Sal Panto to run for County xec -- he gets it. He cut and cut til there was no increase. It's a miracle here in Easton......a surplus last year and no increase this year. Things are definetly looking up.
ReplyDeleteJust about anyone could do a better job.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:05, Really? Where's your budget? Please produce your cuts and demonstrate how they avoid a tax hike while keeping 2 months of expenses in reserve. I'm waiting. Don't tell me about eliminating one or two positions. Instead of name-calling, I've asked you to come up w/ some specifics. Where are they?
ReplyDeleteBO people have given ideas but you are blind due to your love of all things Stoffa. You suffer the same thing with Dent.
ReplyDeleteFirst, there is no rule, certainly not in any accounting journals that says keep two months of expenses in reserve.
By te way is that two months operating or total budget, there is a difference a big difference. That was a BS campaign promise to Angle, now it is time to do things right.
The emperor is naked and running down the Street but not in the world of ohare. God Bless Stoffa and please, please God Bless the rest of us, we need it!
That fund balance is why NC has such a favorable bond rating. It's why the county is still able to pay its bills during a state budget impasse. A healthy fund balance, which could be 2 months reserve or 15% of the budget, is a recommended accounting practie.
ReplyDeleteWhen Reibman spent all the seed corn, he was forced to impose 67% in tax increases over two years. That's what happens. Keeping that fund balance steady avoids thiose big increases. What you propose is cooking the books, and it's financially reckless.
Please cite the specific Journal and page on which a specific, " recommended accounting practice" of keeping two months of the County budget in reserve is written. Doesn't exist, never did. The only book cooking is from the career bureaucrats in Fiscal Affairs.
ReplyDeleteThey follow orders. Did the smae thing with Reibman.
So in four years Stoffa has raised taxes twice for over 10%, he is on his way. With no opposition this is the government people get. When the media and government insiders seize control of governemnt we are all victims.
You are as much a con man as your buddy Angle.
The reference to people as "con" men is an anonymous personal attack.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of a rainy day fund is encouiraghed by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, and can be 15% of the budget or 2 months expenses. In fact, most cities and towns hold about 10 months expenditures in reserve. http://aga.typepad.com/aga/2009/06/are-rainy-day-funds-really-a-good-idea.html
Standard and Poors recommends that 2.4 months expenses be held in reserve.
Stoffa's first tax raise, a half mill, was for open space, and he ran for office promising to raise taxes for that purpose. This tax raise is one mill, maybe a dollar per week. If you invade the fund balance to avoid this small tax increase now, you'll just make a 60 or 70% tax increase inevitable. It's financially reckless and is cooking the books.
I'm still waiting for realistic cuts that will avoid this increase.
Start with stopping that waste of taxpayer money known as the Treatment Center in Bethlehem Township. Nobody other than the developer and Stoffa want it. Its not needed and is something that we the taxpayer can not afford!
ReplyDeleteThat has cost s nothing. Is it included in the new bdget? You have not saved us a dime.
ReplyDeleteHey assclown, if Stoffa takes out the expense of the Treatment Center itis no longer ALREADY in the budget.
ReplyDeleteCome on ohare, your diehard defense of your bromance Stoffa is smelling of desperation.
He is a tax and spend bureaucrat. He voted for a tax increase on the school board and now he has handed us two tax increase in four years.
Instead of making an ass of yourself telling everyone who complains to do Stoffa's job for him, tell Stoffa to do his job and cut more.
County Council better step up to the plate and not buy into the Stoffa bullshit sandwich and make the cuts that can be made.
Where is angle yelling about cutting administrative staff now. I guess it only saved money when Reibman was in office.
What a bunch of phooneys
You do not make sense. You can't save money on a 9.3% tax increase by removing something that's not there.
ReplyDeleteI have asked for specific proposals. This is not one of them. This is just politics.
Face it folks any thing you come up with that is not pro-Stoffa is unrealistic, unworkable or partisan.
ReplyDeleteOhare is Stoffas minister of propaganda.
You come on this blog anonymously, offer hate and disinformation that just turns people off, refuse to offer one concrete suggestion, and call me a propogandist? I think that position has already been filled.
ReplyDeleteExcellant points people. They will be ignored by Ohare because it makes Stoffa look pretty dumb and ineffective.
ReplyDelete