Local Government TV

▼

Monday, October 03, 2016

NorCo's 2017 Proposed No Tax Hike Budget

Northampton County Executive John Brown released a $359 million spending plan for next year late Friday. It should be posted on the county's web page today or tomorrow, but you can also see it here. As previously predicted, it proposes no tax hike. Thus, if your home is assessed at $100,000, your tax bill will be $1,180.

The budget will be balanced by dipping into reserves to the tune of $8.2 million. This is deficit spending, the practice that ultimately leads to tax hikes. Eventually, you run out of money and need a mega tax hike. For all of Brown's claims to be someone different, he is following the playbook of past Executives, Democrat and Republican.

If Brown really wanted a balanced budget, he'd cut $8.2 million from spending or raise taxes a mill. But either of these options would be political solution, so he's playing it safe while pretending to be Mr. Efficient.

I had to laugh at his county organization (page vi), which places voters at the top. If he really felt that way, he would release his proposed budget to the people first, or at least at the same time that he makes it available to Council.

But his proposal to set aside a mill for capital improvements is a good one.
at

6 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 3, 2016 at 1:19 AM

    What? Stoffa lived off the biggest county budget surplus for eight years. No genius there. Then in their first year the fiscally conservative Republican County Council raised Real Estate taxes by 10%.

    John Brown is showing why he will be reelected next year. Little lord Werner or Lament Mcloser won't come with in 5% of him.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bernie O'HareOctober 3, 2016 at 1:21 AM

    So you concede that he is losing the state auditor general race.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 3, 2016 at 6:23 AM

    no worse then your man crush stoffa

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 3, 2016 at 8:59 AM

    Remember, spending "Cuts" are not spending "Reductions"

    Cuts are when the amount of the annual increase is reduced. For example, if an expense was $10 in year one, and it is proposed to go to $15 in year two, a "cut" would be to spend $12.50 in year two.

    An actual spending reduction is when you spend $10 in year one, and either eliminate the expense in year two, or reduce the amount spent to say $5 in year two.

    Example one is what politicians talk about

    Example two is what politicians never do.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousOctober 3, 2016 at 9:02 AM

    Thanks for posting this, Bernie.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousOctober 4, 2016 at 7:32 AM

    While its nice to see no new taxes and Mr. Brown is dishing out 2% raise in salary's the county still fails to reward its employees with any step raises. I know workers who haven't gotten any step raises in 10 plus years. The county is fine with giving these COLA raises but they continue to give the middle finger to the county's biggest asset.

    ReplyDelete

You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.