What impact will this have on them? Below are excerpts of a memo prepared by Controller Steve Barron, who took some time out from studying for the bar exam to actually do his job.
If Easton Council votes to pass this tax this evening [they were not scheduled to take a vote, Steve] county employees will begin paying an additional .75% in local income tax starting January 1, 2013. Employees who live in the City of Easton will not have to pay the additional .75% as well as any employee who works outside the City of Easton.
I obtained the list of all employees coded as working in the City of Easton from our employee database. That total number is 1,101 people. This includes full-time and part-time employees.
From this number there are 103 people that live and work in Easton so they would not be subject to the tax. This means that 998 employees are subject to the tax.
There are 77 people who are Allentown residents that [sic] work in Easton and 149 Bethlehem residents who work for the county in one of the Easton locations. I went through the Easton and Bethlehem address lists line by line to pull out people who have an Easton mailing address or Bethlehem mailing address and live in places like Bethlehem Township (some have an Easton mailing address), Forks Township, Hanover Township etc…;
It was interesting to find that 23% of the people subject to pay the tax do not live in the suburbs. They live in another city in the Lehigh Valley.
The average salary of those 998 people falls somewhere between $30,000 per year and $40,000 per year. This means that they will pay somewhere between $225 per year or $300 per year on average. This means that Northampton County employees will pay an additional $224,500 to $299,400 per year to the City of Easton.
There have been a lot of numbers floating around and rumors. Regardless of how you feel about the tax I felt it was my duty as the County Controller to do the research to provide you with accurate and correct information.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me at (610) 559-3185.
Updated 7:00 AM: Easton Eccentric - Stoffa asks for "summit" between local and state leaders over unsustainable pension costs. Easton City Council to Delay Commuter Tax Vote Until August 8 .
41 comments:
I wonder if Barron's study took into consideration any of the judges, attorneys, Council, or State employees that work at the Court House? Technically they work in Easton, but are paid by whomever?
Wouldn't it be something if Easton City Council begins to upset the judges and the attorneys? Their salaries are much higher than $30 to $40 K. Isn't Barron one of those employees?
And even though they are paid by the State, any secretary that work for the local District Justices? I wonder if the firefighters and policemen that work in Easton but live elsewhere are exempt for this tax?
It just seems like a round robin? They are taxing themselves to pay themselves. Is this craZy or is it just me?
As you point out, judges and the DA are state employees. So are the court administrators. Barron is a county employee. Council are part-timers and probably are not considered employees.
Add this tax to BARRY OBAMAS new taxes and everything wil be fine.
All of our problems will be solved.
Fire Department has a large number of employees who call the city home. Far more of a percentage for the FD than police.
Funny how you use Steve's hard work to make your point O'Hare. So when it suits you, he is a resource. Have you no shame at all?
How about giving all those jobs that Allentown residents have to Norco residents?..
if the little wimp stevie barron actually compiled and interpreted this information the one should question the "accurate and correct" statement.
the boy lacks trustworthiness amongst many other favorable traits
I have to be honest with you, an extra $300 K a year doesn't seem enough. Why would a city want all that headache for only $300 K? What type of money are the looking to bridge over from this? I know how much they claim they are short on their pensions. But how much money are they really looking at to get from this tax?
And an additional 300 dollars per year is a lot of money to grab from these employees. All of that stuff adds up. When you are making only $30 to $40 K. Even if you were making $60 to $80 K that is still a lot to ask.
"Funny how you use Steve's hard work to make your point O'Hare. So when it suits you, he is a resource. Have you no shame at all?"
None. The fact that Barron prepared this report does make me question its accuracy.
So is this the public's first example of what a County Controller actually is supposed to be doing?
Is Bethlehem a suburb of Easton?
1 person from the public showed. Not one person from the work force showed. This is done. It is another fine tax increase courtesy of Tom Corbett and pa republicans.
please explain how Corbett and the republicans are responsible for the union contracts that are driving this tax increase?
The reason is the state legiature and the governor refuse to create meaningful pension reform that keeps pensions as a benefit, but makes them more cost effective.
Barron's numbers must have been good enough. Stoffa used them with confidence. Right in the body of Barron's letter he says this includes full and part time. So council is included.
While there are some managers in that list most prison guards and clerks make a base salary of between 30 and 40 thousand. Just look at the county's regular job postings. Bernie back hands Barron, but even he can't deny this is good information for everyone to have. Even the tax grabbing Easton Council.
"1 person from the public showed. Not one person from the work force showed. This is done."
That's no surprise when the hearing is scheduled in the middle of the Summer when everyone is on vacation. Summer hours, you know.
"Is Bethlehem a suburb of Easton?"
No, It's a suburb of Allentown. Ask Pawlowski.
" Bernie back hands Barron, but even he can't deny this is good information for everyone to have."
I do not trust the accuracy of any information presented by Barron. Everything to him is political, including this. It's too bad we don't have a nonpolitical controller.
The soon to be triple-dipping (or will it be quadruple dipping) exec is complaining about pensions?
This guy has really got his Joe Biden on lately.
First the "Taxation without representation is OK if I like the purpose" and, now, public pensions he had no trouble fighting for and taking are "unsustainable".
Obviously, I don't disagree with the latter, but it is more than a little disingenuous of him at this late date.
-Clem
6:50 well played
The commuters need to pay their fair share.
Those freeloaders living in those "lily white" suburbs, with all the evil, greedy Rich People.
It's just not fair!!!
Yes, it's Corbett's fault that he hasn't cleaned up Rendell's 8 year mess in the 1 1/2 years that Corbett's been in office.
Now it is time for the local businesses to speak up. Places like Apollo's, Lutzi's, Josie's, Joe's Market, Subway, Noto's, Joe's Pizza, Wawa, Carmelcorn, and any gas station to voice their concerns to City Council. I really believe that people with circumvent Easton businesses to make up for the money that will go to this tax. Instead of happy hour after work at Pearly's, they will do with out it or go anywhere else but Easton. They won't be able to afford lunch out, even in the Courthouse; so they will pack their own lunches.
Even a small of lost business to any Easton business, might be enough to put a place under.
Obviously the city cares more about a quick solution by taxing the commuters at the expense of non-residents and Easton businesses.
Easton business owners and employees of Easton business owners, remember how much the Mayor and City Council cared about you, when it comes time to vote.
Barron claims the county is rich and therefore perhaps the county can give employee's and additional .75% raise to make up for it. That sounds like a good PILOT program. Does this make it better. It's not all about the county employees. Their pensions are the problem. I do not feel bad for them. You can't trust Barron's numbers. He is a troll.
12:52, Your point is valid, but where are the public sector unions who supposedly represent these County workers? Are they going to let them see a pay reduction of $225-300 per year?
Good point to be raised at the next union meeting?
If I were you, I'd raise it now. They can flex their muscles with state reps and work on a real solution. If they can accomplish anything, I'd withdraw my claim that they are useless. But I think they'll do nothing.
What is Barron's motivation for preparing this report? This is not an audit of county programs, the main function of his office. He has no business conducting this study on county time. HE should be audited by an outside firm. In any case, is he trying to embarass Sal with this report? Is he already active in the Calahan campaign? His end game seems to be his appointment to the next administration's cabinet with a big fat raise.
nj.com just put out an article where the comptroller stated that many people should be cut off from NJ's state pension benefits because they were illegally added as full time employees when the were really private contractors. And to boot, they were padding their earnings to boost up the retirement benefits and pensions. I wonder if that problem exists in PA on the local or state levels? At least on the very local, Easton level?
Stoffa calls for a "summit". This guy is amazing. It will be interesting to see if it ever happens, who shows up and what difference it makes.
State reps know the issue without Stoffa telling them. They haven't addressed it in years. Stoffa the lifelong bureacrat living on the public tit with a hundred public pensions , NOW wants changes.
Pure showmanship, that is the legacy of Stoffa.
Quit complaining about TAXES,
or I'll cut off you Federal Checks
Barry Obama
Prez
"Pure showmanship, that is the legacy of Stoffa."
I'm sure NC workers are very grateful that someone cared enough to be there for them.
By the way, your legacy is that of an anonymous troll afraid to take responsibility for your hatred.
What are you complaining about, You didn't earn your Salary, someone else did it for you!
Barry Obuma
Prez.
"What is Barron's motivation for preparing this report? This is not an audit of county programs, the main function of his office."
Now that you mention it, you are absolutely right. Barron is making this political, but he knows he has no job with either Panto or Callahan. So this is for Lamont.
Yes, Barron and McClure are in cahoots over Artsquest. That seems to fly in the face of Callahan. So maybe there IS an unholy alliance there!
I disagree. They are all Long Dem's.
1:19 and 7:57 - maybe he was asked to.
By whom? McClure?
Bernie the Callahan Stoooge
Although I've made no commitment to support anyone, I would never support McClure. Thus, he and Barron will do their best to marginalize me. Anonymously. Of course, they are the real gamesters. They are trying hard to play off Panto against Callahan, attacking both.
Word on the street is McClure sees himself as the real dark horse winner of an executive race.
Apparently he and Barro9n have been playing to the Stoffa enemies and are trying to keep Callahan out of the race.
Cut the workforce and the amount goes down, it's simple math and you save us taxpayers money. Throwing around big numbers doesn't hurt the city's position it just shows how high the countY's payroll is.
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