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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, December 07, 2018

NorCo Council Holds Line on Taxes in 2019

Northampton County Council has unanimously approved Executive Lamont McClure's $455 million spending plan for next year. It holds the line on taxes, keeping the tax rate at 11.8 mills  There's been no increase in county taxes since 2015, when a half mill tax hike was approved by a previous Council under former Executive John Brown.

This vote occurred during the sane part of last night's County Council meeting, before SuperShrink Lori Vargo Heffner and Social Justice Warrior (and solar panel salesperson) Tara Zrinski embarked on their bizarre crusades.

What this budget means is that a homeowner or business with property assessed at $125,000 will see a county bill of $1,180. In addition to county taxes, these property owners must pay school and municipal taxes. These combine to make Northampton County's total property taxes among the highest in the nation. According to Tax-Rates.org, Northampton County ranks 129th of the 3143 counties nationwide in order of median property taxes.

The county has no authority to impose an income tax.

It's an ambitious spending plan. Executive McClure plans to purchase the County's Centralized Human Services Building, located on Emrick Boulevard in Bethlehem Tp.  The purchase price is $14,468,731. It is currently being leased at a cost of $1.05 million per year. It is also a "triple net" lease, meaning the County must pay taxes, maintenance costs and insurance. The real estate tax bill alone is $190,000 per year.

Though the County has sufficient funds on hand to complete the purchase, Executive McClure intends to borrow the money. The reason for this is that the state currently reimburses the county for 80% of the cost of the lease, and will continue to do so if the County borrows money to complete the purchase. There will be no reimbursement if the County has no debt. This state funding can be leveraged.

In addition, Executive McClure intends to build an $11 million state of the art forensic center, where autopsies and toxicology tests are performed to help solve murder crimes. A location has yet to be established, although Executive McClure has told Council that he is leaning towards a site on the Gracedale campus near the 911 center.

Council has already authorized a $26 million bond, which is structured so that it will actually decrease the county's debt in he long run.

With bond proceeds and money on hand,  McClure will be able to pay for a controversial $38.5 million public private partnership project under which nearly county bridges are being outright replaced or repaired over the next four years.

There will be no county contribution earmarked for Gracedale, the county's nursing home. In fact, Executive McClure intends to replace Premier, the County's outside administrator, with in-house staff who are certified. This will save the County $450,000 per year. Part of the budget package includes approval of a $119,000 per year Administrator.

The budget maintains the County's commitment to open space, devoting $3 million to a farmland preservation, the purchase of environmentally sensitive lands and park projects.

The budget includes a 2% COLA for nonunion employees as well as step increases for nonunion employees hired in 2014, 2015 and 2016. last year, a step increase was awarded to more senior nonunion workers. Employees hired in 2017 or 2018 are excluded. According to Fiscal Affairs Director, a good number of employees hired in 2017 are being upgraded. The Executive will also eliminate gap insurance and co-pay for employees. He expects this to increase the bottom line of every worker.

The budget grants no increase to union workers because they are subject to collective bargaining agreements. Administration sources have stated that eight union contracts either are or are close to being ratified.

Northampton County and Bethlehem are in the process of consolidating 911 service. Executive McClure predicts it will take place between April and July.

It is a true balanced budget. There is no deficit spending of cash reserves. .

The lion's share of McClure's budget (51.2%) will fund Human Services, which serves 80,000 people.

The budget fails to address salary compression among county employees or low wages in many positions. But Executive McClure told Council, "You can't move forward until you put the past to rest." He said that leveraging state money to buy the human services building, construction of a forensic center and razing the Milides building to create 104 parking spaces is good government. "You're governing," he told Council.He is hopeful the state will grant funding for a "safe" crosswalk for people who need to use the courthouse. "I watch senior citizens struggle every day to get in the front door," he observed.

The budget includes the elimination of some positions that are no longer needed. Council VP Ron Heckman  was careful to ask whether other jobs were found for those employees. In all but one case, another job has been found or the person is retiring.

The budget also calls for six additional corrections officers on the theory that this will reduce mandated overtime at the jail, which guards complain is very stressful. Council member John Cusick voted No to these additional positions because there is "no corresponding reduction in overtime" in the budget.

Cusick was also the sole No vote to a $119,000 in-house nursing home administrator. "Premier [a third-party administrator] did an outstanding job and I would prefer that we retain them," he explained. Council member Matt Dietz agreed that Council needs to "stay on top" of what happens at Gracedale. Council member Peg Ferraro said she is "very leery" of the return to county employee serving as the Gracedale administrator. But Council VP Ron Heckman said Gracedale is a "tighter operation now" than it was in previous years.

Cusick also voted against some minor budget amendments because they failed to include the cost of new voting machines with a paper trail, which the state has mandated. While doing so, he derided three nonbinding environmental resolutions that Council member Tara Zrinski wanted heard after the budget. She would later insist on reading a solar energy resolution in its entirety. "Before we save the planet, we need to provide the voters of Northampton County with a state of the art voting system," Cusick pointedly remarked.

Finally, Cusick voted against the Capital Improvements plan for next year because it fails to include a new voting system, yet includes a county expenditure of up to $1.5 million for a for-profit alternative energy company. Cusick complained "it funds a project that is not a core function of county government."

That takes care of the budget, which is Council's most important function. Unfortunately, the meeting was marred by Lori Vargo Heffner's picayune objections to the courts' request for a Director of Treatment if the Juvenile Justice Center  She played word games for a lengthy period with two doctors that Court Administrator Jermaine Greene presented.

But Supershrink was nothing compared to the meaningless environmental resolutions that Social Justice Warrior Tara Zrinski wanted heard. These include a resolution condemning the use of plastic bags and straws at commercial establishments. They also include a resolution endorsing the use of solar panels. Zrinski became downright combative when Council member Peg Ferraro suggested that she was more than a little self-serving. Zrinski sells solar panels.

As Zrinski brayed about the disastrous use of plastic bags and straws, Fiscal Affairs Director Steve Barron quietly removed a plastic straw from his plastic WaWa cup and hid it in his suit pocket. He later tried to give it to me,

Council member Peg Ferraro, usually the voice of reason on Council, finally had enough. "I don't appreciate government getting involved in our lives and telling us what to do all the time," she complained. "I don't mean to be crude, but this plastic bag problem is like a pimple on a whale."  She noted the county has much bigger problems than plastic bags and straws.

I will present the SuperShrink and EcoWarrior stories in more detail on Monday.

The meeting mercifully came to an end. Council VP Ron Heckman threatened, "Over the holidays, I'm going to read Joseph Stalin's Guide to Good Government.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Plastic bags should be outlawed they choke our waterways and disgrace our Woodlands, hard to recycle people need to embrace the cloth sack like oldentimes

Blue Badger

Anonymous said...

Stalin's guide to good government. LOL. I love it!!! Was that in jest or frustration?

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU John Brown for your guidence and setting the path for good government. The Executive Has no McClue!

Bernie O'Hare said...

Blue Badger, I will have more to say Monday, and you won’t like it.

Anonymous said...

Omg who is code name Blue Badger?

Anonymous said...

Supershrink and Social Justice Warrior. Love it, can't wait give me more. So what does this mean for condoms?

Anonymous said...

Bernie , we have about 304,000 folks in this county . How is it that county services are somehow attending to the welfare of 80:000 people.? I can’t understand how we approach a 1/4 ratio of needing anything. I would think the command and staff at the court house should get a study done and quantify demographic issues. Additionally, To spend 11 million on a facility for after the fact deaths and crime is not proactively investing forward.Spend 11 million in the grade schools to teach the young “how to fish” on there own, how to become smart enough to stay out of trouble,both physically and financially. Teach leadership traits not how to collect and get section 8. How to not have so many people locked up,but working and building something.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I am glad i LIVE IN lEHIGH COUNTY, IT LOOKS THE TAXES ARE ALMOST DOUBLE IN nORTHAMPTON, WHAT ARE THEY DOING?

Anonymous said...

So what do you think of the budget? Is the new Admisntration competent? What about the county council? No tax increase, are you suggesting a tax cut??

Anonymous said...

I am so disappointed that the salary compression issue seems to be ignored. In the private sector, retention is emphasized due to the high cost of training new employees. Surely the cost of training all these corrections officers and 911 dispatchers is significant. With the high turnover constantly being discussed, as a taxpayer I would like to see how much the constant training and then loss of the trainees is truly costing us in the long term. Perhaps the hiring practices and training practices need to be revisited? Lastly, you mention that 911 is consolidating. That means even more work and more training for existing employees there, plus new hires? Is there a new job description being written for them. Bethlehem has a significant population. Will there be an increase in their compensation for the dramatic increase in work they will undoubtedly be getting? I am no expert in public sector work, but it seems these issues need to be discussed, and not behind closed doors!

Anonymous said...

5:38 is obviously a Union Norco employee, talk to your union fella’

Anonymous said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjmtSkl53h4

Anonymous said...

Nice try 5:49 - I work in accounting. In NJ. Never would I ever work for the county, pay here is simply not comparable. My young neighbor in Bethlehem Township works for the prison, so I hear his stories and follow these issues with great interest. My firm trains extensively and retains staff for years. Other than entry-level positions, we have few vacancies, except for relocations. The county would do well to follow our lead, and would save lots of money for the taxpayers in the process.

Anonymous said...

politicians at work Northampton see the results

Anonymous said...

Been a real fine week for County government.

With LC skirting the sunshine laws blatantly and NC going off on an environmental rant during an important financial presentation, it really shows the people are very well represented.

Anonymous said...

If humanity doesn't return to nature and cease spoiling our environment Gaea will strike hard resulting in a planet of the apes type situation where man is chained by the results of his hubris. Bring back the rye grass straw a proven technology, abandon toxic plastic single use products

blue Badger

Anonymous said...

Funny shit! Who knew Peg Ferraro would be the female voice of reason.

Anonymous said...

You have got to read Tom Shortell's twitter feed from last night. he is the MCall reporter. Tara Z, supernova.lol

Anonymous said...

What ever happened at NorCo if you don’t like the conditions you work under , vote with your feet and go to private industry. I’ve said this before, that if the county employment issues are not within your personal peramators get a job someplace else . I did. You can too if your worth your salt..

Bernie O'Hare said...

Um, that’s a problem. Many workers do that and the county loses institutional knowledge and has to spend money, at least in soft costs, to train again. You apparently have not been listening, except to yourself.

Anonymous said...

Watched the video. No question Zirinki is bat shit crazy but Hefner was just plain mean. It was clear she has personal issues with that job. Is she made they didn't gibe it to her? You can't not allow the Courts to have a position for a vote. Did they do that with any Human Services jobs? The judge should make the point.

She is really acting like a spoiled child by the video. Hopefully council member shave more sense and brains than these two.

Anonymous said...

You should run your old stories that predicted double digit increases occurring around this time.

Anonymous said...

So did Hefner have a point or was she just being obstinate? It sounded like she just didn't like the people speaking for the position.

Anonymous said...

Zirinski is tearing up Facebook

Bernie O'Hare said...

She blocked me after I reported her perjury sanction, so I do not know what she is saying.

Bernie O'Hare said...

1:19, I personally believe Heffner has a mean streak and it was on display. She unleashed it before when she persuaded fellow council members to reject someone from the drug and alcohol advisory board. She also objected to meeting minutes because her surname either was or was not hyphenated.

Anonymous said...

Tara Z is backed by the E.L.F (Earth Liberation Federation) and we are quite tired of waiting patiently for sensible beuracratic reforms, instead of 18 wheelers spewing diesel fumes the canals and railroad should carry the bulk of our consumer goods. ElF will continue to advocate for peaceful changes but some in the movement are eager to move things back to a more radical bent.

BLUE BADGER

Anonymous said...

Fine, but isn't the solar panel issue a potential conflict of interest? As for straws, the c.ompanies that make the products that requires them should be responsible for change. I'm all for green, just give me an alternative

Anonymous said...

Both of them come off as petulant children and not leaders. Why do they get to make all the rules?

Anonymous said...

From what I hear Hefenr is more of a pain to fellow council members than Zirinski. Hefner brings the worst of North Jersey attitude to the job. She is demanding and easily offended. Zirinski is just a wild woman and not taken very seriously.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"ElF will continue to advocate for peaceful changes but some in the movement are eager to move things back to a more radical bent."

Translation: If we don't get our way, we get violent.

Gotta' love the intolerance of the far left.

Anonymous said...

We need look no further than Lancaster county for a guide to sustainable living, the Amish have created a blueprint for living peacefully with Gaea it is incumbent upon good stewards of the environment like Tara Zarinski to lead us there.

Blue Badger

Bernie O'Hare said...

" Hefner brings the worst of North Jersey attitude to the job."

She's from Hazleton.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Folks, when Bob Ryan attempts to take over this blog with his vile hate, just ignore him. I will delete him.