On Thursday night, Northampton County Council narrowly adopted a resolution that gives false hope to a continued Bi-County Health Department. By a 5-4 vote, they agreed to support its "continuing activity," so long as no money is required from the County. On Friday, Lehigh County Comm'rs Chair Dean "Van Helsing" Browning proposed that Lehigh County withdraw. Trying to drive a stake through the heart of a Bi-County Health Department that just won't go away, is proving to be very difficult. I was sure it was dead in July, when six Northampton County Council members refused to authorize funding, a budget or establishment of a health board. Since that time, County finances have gone from bad to worse. Lehigh will see a 16% tax hike next year, and Northampton County has barely escaped a similar fate by putting Gracedale, the County nursing home, on the auction block.
But they forgot to cut off its head, and the LV Health Board is b-a-a-a-a-ck.
Glen "Commissioner No" Eckhart and Tom Creighton have already signed on to Browning's legislation. And Andy Roman is expected to conduct a news conference today, in which he'll announce some kind of "post 911 alternative," whatever that is, to a bi-county health department. That arguably gives Browning four Republican supporters. All four Democratic Commissioners can be expected to continue their support.
So it all boils down to Percy Dougherty, scourge of affordable housing and proponent of zero-tax-increase budgets.
He's all for a bi-county health department. In fact, according to him, so is Northampton County Council. "[T]here are enough votes to move forward with approval of the Health Department pending some last minute financial concerns," he claims. He adds that Browning's proposal is "politically motivated because the sponsors know they do not have enough votes but they are playing to the media."
But Browning, who knows very well that Northampton County has no real intention of establishing a Health Department, is concerned about the financial consequences to Lehigh when it is left holding the colostomy bag. According to Browning, Lehigh County's go-it-alone "starting price will be in excess of $500,000 and will increase dramatically from there. Since the July meeting of the LVHC, we have had an intervening event, namely the 2011 budget, that should give pause to some. The budget for 2011 calls for a 16% increase just to allow the County to continue to fulfill the basic responsibilities that are currently assigned to it by the Commonwealth and by the Home Rule Charter. And even with that increase, we still have a gap between expenses and revenue that will need to be filled if we are to continue to provide those required services without another tax increase in 2012."
I support a public health department myself, but when county governments are fighting for their financial lives, it's time to back off. Now is simply not the time, and it is unfair to allow the good people on that board continue to spin their wheels until both counties are on a firm financial footing.
If Browning's argument is "politically motivated," we could use a few more politicians.
The combined legislatures of Lehigh and Northampton Counties will meet on January 10, and that's when we'll learn the true fate of the Bi-County Department of Health.
12 comments:
This reeks of the secret deal between some Northampton County council members and the Health Department goons. The plan was to dump and sell the seniors at Gracedale and use that blood money to fund the public health department jobs program.
Whats the lives of a few poor seniors when we have politically connected folks who need employment.
Very sad chapter in Northampton County history. Very sad, indeed!
"This reeks of the secret deal between some Northampton County council members and the Health Department goons. The plan was to dump and sell the seniors at Gracedale and use that blood money to fund the public health department jobs program."
What really reeks are these nonsensical and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories.
percy calling someone else politically motivated is a real joke but then..................
Browning has more guts,brains and common sense than all the rest combined.
This white elephant was doomed from the beginning not because it isn't necessarily a good idea but because of the costs. Give it up and move on to real current and future problems
Until the economy turns around, those who lost jobs get them back, needed services that were cut are restored, over due bills are paid, hospitals start kicking in their financial share, and they can truly show that this thing is desprately needed (i.e that there is NO ONE else public or private that does not already provide these services) this thing will never come to fruitation. Too bad NC council did not get some balls and pull the plug when it had the chance. Lets hope LC does.
2:12 probably isn't too far off- just has the wrong goons listed.
Ask yourself- why is David Lyons, who works for a for-profit, out-of-state hospital, pushing so hard for this?
All this can be resolved with a wake up call medical version of 9/11. Just one good ole fashioned outbreak of influenza or cholera or an modern day toxic terrorist act and the question will be asked. "Gee isn't there a health department around here?"
I know, back to the limited government of our constitutional forefathers. Maybe the top 2% might kick in part of their tax refunds to do something for the public good.
BTW did Sara Palin take some frozen caribou meat to the cholera clinic in Haiti?
Daughterty lost my respect. He wants this health department so badly but doesn't want to recognize that this department will cost money. He played crap with the tax increase, voting for the irresponsible plan to destroy our prisons and cut our criminal justice system but now he wants a 500k operation added to the budget. Daugherty is the biggest, sleaziest politician on the commission. At least Eckhart, Creighton and Roman are consistent. Browning is at least trying to keep costs under control and he recognized the corner we are in on the budget. Daughtery has nothing to contribute but more cost and no solutions on how to pay for the costs.
We give Percy a "FAIL" for his irresponsibility.
This needs to die already! No one can afford this nor is it necessary..Northampton County is closing Gracedale. To think about starting a new department is just nuts, nuts, nuts!
Creating new, money-sucking bureaucracies is so two years ago.
There's no money. It's been in all the papers.
Bernie -
I agree this thing should die, but I really don't think Browning should be lecturing anyone about the 2011 tax hike.
Browning was the deciding vote for the tax hike, and the only (supposed) Republican voting for it :).
Kill this deal. Those behind it the will screw it up. As is their history with most of the bright ideas they come up with.
It is prudent to be highly suspect of their motives since at least a substantial few seem to have a history of sttrreettcchhiinng the truth.
There is another agenda at play. Are they willing to admit it? I highly doubt it.
Don't be fools!
"But Browning, who knows very well that Northampton County has no real intention of establishing a Health Department, is concerned about the financial consequences to Lehigh when it is left holding the colostomy bag."
Great quote. The real colostomy bag, however, is more what happens as the baby boomers age and we need to have a regional health department. What most middle class and wealthy people don't realize is that the limited services that do exist don't extend to the townships.
I hope the people of these councils never need services.
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