If you live in Lehigh County, it's time to breathe a sigh of relief. Executive Don Cunningham has managed to beat his 2009 budget by nearly $6 million, proving that he is, after all, a fiscal conservative. “Our 2009 budget called for using $5.5 million from our Tax Relief Fund. As the final reports come in, it’s clear that we used none of it,” said Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham. “This comes from budgeting and managing in a conservative manner, expecting the worst and working your tail off to try to do better. This is consistent with every budget we have delivered the last four years.”
Established by the prior administration at $22 million, this Tax Relief Fund was supposed to be exhausted by 2008, but Cunningham actually added to it when times were good. It currently stands at $16.5 million, after a 2008 transfer of $12 million for open space, outdoor recreation and urban parks.
In spending that money, Cunningham was complying with a 2002 referendum authorizing up to $30 million in debt for Green Futures. By adding to this fund in his early years, Cunningham has been able to avoid that debt, which could easily cost taxpayers twice that sum in interest and debt service.
In addition to keeping the Tax Relief Fund intact, the County closed out 2009 with over $700,000 in its General Fund, almost $500,000 more than projected. A $20 million Tax Stabilization reserve fund has remain untouched. And, once again, the county's tax rate remains unchanged for the fifth consecutive year.
The 2010 county budget does call for using the Tax Relief Fund.
Can the County somehow miraculously avoid a tax increase next year?
“I am pleased that we have been conservative in our forecasts and beaten all projections,” Cunningham said. “The reality, however, is that we haven’t seen any net new revenues in more than two years and our budget will continue to be tight as we try to manage with no revenue growth despite increased costs.”
Dean Browning, who chairs Lehigh County's Board of Commissioners, has stated he is very pleased by the direction in which Lehigh County is headed. This is a credit both to Cunningham and his Director of Administration, Tom Muller. Below is a chart showing 2009's year-end fund balances, both budgeted and actual.
9 comments:
Don should be the next Pennsylvania Governor. He is doing a great job!
Give credit where credit is due. he has also asked for help. So if you have any specific cost saving measures, feel free to pass them on.
He's about to raise taxes, having blown a surplus. He barely got re-elected,having almost lost to a guy using money he made collecting soda bottles. Governor? Bawhawhahahahahahaha!
Run Scott Run!
Anonymous said...
"He's about to raise taxes, having blown a surplus. He barely got re-elected,having almost lost to a guy using money he made collecting soda bottles."
Love it! Wish I'd thought of it.
VOR
relax,Don came through,Hes a centrist, some would say a conservative democrat like henry scoop jackson.Maybe not in style right now but should be.Off Topic : Where are all the Drill,Baby,Drill people.Their offly quiet.I want a piece of them.Thats what happens when you rush to judgement and are a blowhard.
Once an election is over, people should drop the "Donny boy" talk and work together. He is the executive, has managed to save the county $6 MM that was supposed to have been spent, and is working on his budget for next year NOW.
If Don plans to repeats his first act, he's already a lame duck. Run Scott Run! I'm betting a $52 war chest is enough is enough next time.
run,scott,run my ass. you think its easy balancing a budget with all it entails. Its more than squeezing more nickles out of recycled soda bottles.
Don's lucky to still have the job that half (minus one or two) of his constituents think he's incompetent to perform. And here comes that tax increase.
Run Scott Run.
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