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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

NorCo Controller Anticipates County Debt to Drop $12 Million This Year

According to NorCo Controller Tony Bassil and his Lead Auditor, Paul Albert, Northampton County's overall debt should drop by $12 million this year. 

In 2020, the County owed $116 million on various bonds issued by the county for capital improvements. But this year, that indebtedness is expected to be just $104 million. 

The County is paying about $13.3 million this year in debt service   If the County can refrain from borrowing, it will be completely debt-free in 10 years. 

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good job NorCo.

Does anyone know NorCo's ratio of productive class net taxpayers to dependent class tax consumers vs Lehigh County's ratio? That could be instructive.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I find your division of Americans into classes to be racially tinged and unAmerican.

Anonymous said...

Careful there, Ohare. We've seen it doesn't take much to turn your own comrades against you with honest replies like the one above.

Anonymous said...

Lamont is doing such a great job with the county and it would be great to be debt free in 10 years, imagine the mess we would be in if a fool like Lynch won

Republicans for McClure

Anonymous said...

How much of that is because of the federal money we are seeing because of Covid?

Anonymous said...

Nice campaigning for McCluless.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"How much of that is because of the federal money we are seeing because of Covid?"

So far as I can see, none. The money provided to the county under the CARES Act or American Recovery Plan Act is restricted.

I believe the reason debt is going down is because of the way the bonds were issued and sold. That would be good fiscal stewardship by McClure, John Stoffa and even John Brown.

By the way, the annual statement of indebtedness is a requirement of the Home Rule Charter and is unrelated to any campaign. It is something people should see annually to ensure that a county government is fiscally responsible. If we see debt constantly going up, that's a red flag. It makes sense there should be some debt. Right now the county is paying about two mills per year in debt service. That figure is actually a bit high and prevents the county from investing in its most important asset - the employee. On the other hand, the county's assets must be maintained.

Anonymous said...

It's almost like the elected politicians, both present and past actually know what they're doing.

Anonymous said...

Well when you don't give your employees a reasonable raise in years it helps a lot with the bottom line.

Anonymous said...

Imagine some troll thinking transparency is a bad thing. Shocking!

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy the comments about employees and raises. Here's a thought - the job market is BLAZING hot. Go get another job if you're not happy.

Last I checked, even in the Peoples Republic of Northampton County we do not have indentured servitude.

But for chrissakes stop your bitching already.

Anonymous said...

That's a great thought. let's have a county with a bunch of ppl willing to work for peanuts. Just tell good smart ppl to leave.

Anonymous said...

2:52pm - Careful, that's what you capitalist bootlickers said to the service industry workers and now they have and you're crying about it because "nobody wants to work".

The fact is, Northampton County employees have been underpaid for years. Long wage freezes and then a few pithy cost-of-living raises, paired with increases in insurance costs, have left many of us earning less in real dollars than when we started. I've been with the county for 15 years and according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) I earn about $3000 LESS per year than when I started when accounting for inflation. This is not sustainable. Private industry is finally having to grapple with how underpaid American workers have been for decades and wages are starting to increase. I just hope Northampton County gets on board, and soon!

Anonymous said...

@5:08 but don't forget the politicians keep voting themselves raises above everyone else. The do whatever they want and screw the rest of the suckers.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Your comment is complete and utter horseshit. I can criticize pols for lots of things, but on a local level, they are woefully underpaid. I have no idea why you are spewing a complete lie.

Anonymous said...

Where is Ron Angle when we so desperately need him?

Anonymous said...

"Careful, that's what you capitalist bootlickers said to the service industry workers and now they have and you're crying about it because "nobody wants to work"."

You conveniently left out the part where the government started paying workers more dough to sit on the couch. It's been in all the papers, although it defies your ridiculous narrative.