Since taking office as Northampton County Executive, Lamont McClure has proposed three budgets, ultimately adopted, that hold the line on real estate taxes. His most recent budget proposal, however, includes something never seen before in Northampton County government. A tax cut. His $528 million spending plan for next year was introduced today in County Council Chambers, which was livestreamed both on the County’s YouTube Channel and Facebook.. It reduces the tax rate from 11.8 mills, where it's been for the past seven years, to 10.8 mills. This means a home assessed at $75,000 will receive a tax bill next year that drops from $885 to $810. The budget is also balanced.
This budget will be reviewed by County Council in a series of five budget hearings, starting on Wednesday. Council can accept the budget as proposed, make changes or reject it. In an oddity of the county's home rule charter, a thumbs down would mean the spending plan as proposed would go into effect automatically.1. One Mill Tax Cut ($8.6 million in savings to all Northampton County Taxpayers)
2. Fund Balance: Emergency Stabilization $17.4 Million (9.3% of General Fund) & $21.4 Million Unassigned for a total of approximately $39 million in reserve.
3. $12.2 Million in Operational Cuts or a (12.8% reduction in spending identified through improved management countywide).
4. A one step increase for all nonunion county employees (4.5%)
5. Fully funding pension, unemployment and OPEB obligations.
6. Meeting all matching requirements from the state and federal government for pass through funding for COVID relief and Human Services provided by Northampton County.
McClure's spending plan continues a continued commitment to fund open space preservation at $3 million every year. This is accomplished by purchasing conservation easements under which farmers agree to never develop their land. In addition, the county purchases environmentally sensitive land and both creates and maintains parks. In his budget message, McClure states his object is to both preserve green space and limit warehouse proliferation.
McClure stated his budget will continue the pandemic relief and assistance to county residents. This includes $25 million in relief to small businesses.
2:10 PM on 10/04/21.....Maybe the downfall/DNS of all the left featured websites, is not a mistake? Is G-d working His Miracles? If cyberhackers are taking down the elites maybe we still stand a chance?
ReplyDeleteBravo Mr. McClure!
ReplyDeleteStep increase is a re-election game, since employee morale is low and want him out. They see right through him. So do taxpayers.
ReplyDelete"something never seen before in Northampton County"
ReplyDeleteNot true.
A decrease of more than 8% in property taxes? That might be the final nail in Steve Lynch's coffin unless he rallies the troops and throws the biggest flag rally in Northampton County history in front of Autozone.
ReplyDeleteWe all know you are in the bag for McClure but this is not the first tax cut in county history. you want to be accurate.
ReplyDeleteOverall looks very promising. However #3 is most likely due to lack of employees in the county. Let's see the overtime budgets that are being blown out of the water. What is the fix for that? I would love to hear his plan for the next 4 years.
ReplyDeleteI know I am ignorant in come of this but how is the budget balanced when some many been screaming we do not have enough to pay the bills and also keep things open as before? Can someone enlighten me.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard anyone in the county screaming about not having money to pay the bills.
ReplyDeleteCome talk to some COs who live off of OT. When 75% are still on step 1. If actually have Bill's it's hard.
Delete"this is not the first tax cut in county history. you want to be accurate"
ReplyDeleteI do. Please enlighten us.
I stand corrected. Council cut taxes in 1978 and then again in 1979 and then again in the early nineties. In the seventies the taxes were cut by at least 5 mils. It showed how inefficient the commissioner form of government was and how effective Home Rule was when establishing a system of checks and balances.The nineties was during the Seyfried administration. It was small but none the less a tax reduction. He also eliminated the personal property tax at that time.
ReplyDeleteCutting taxes is usually followed by increase taxes and is often done by counties in an election year. Like above states the taxpayers know the game. Same as the step raise that should have been done when he got in office. They deserved it having gone years without it while the unions continued to get their raises
ReplyDeleteI am very suspect of #3. You increase salaries by 4.5%,and cut costs by 12.5%? More specifics are needed to convince me.
ReplyDeleteYour post at 8:30,mK3Ees no sense. It actually promotes Commissioners over one man rule. The county council eliminated the personal property tax over the objection of the county executive. One man rule is better than more than one man? What are you afraid of, the truth??
ReplyDeleteAnd to assure additional votes add the recent "refreshing" of the retirees $12,500 monies for health care costs not covered by Northampton County retirees employer funded health insurance. County retirees of Medicare age are provided with an exceptional Medicare Advantage plan thru BC that gives excellent coverage to employees. Yet so many employees needlessly cost taxpayers money by selection of the alternative health plan offered by Northampton. This was to be a one time amount and then was refreshed "sometimes" to those employees that spent it down for exceptional health costs i.e., prescriptions. Now it is getting refreshed (get another pot of monies)for any employee choosing the traditional plan. There are those employees that choose to retire before age of Medicare eligibility but that should be considered a tradeoff for early retirement. Just as folks not employed by the County must take that in consideration when retiring before Medicare eligibility. I think that those employees that are forced to retire because of health problems before the age of Medicare eligibility could be considered an exception. But after 2 years of disability those employees would be eligible for Medicare. This refreshing will cost millions of dollars. This is not a prudent fiscal decision. Documentation of this cost can be found in retirement board minutes and letters to retirees.
ReplyDeleteBy the way. Any CO hired after 2011 doesn't get any benefits from the county after their retirement. Just remember to always check your facts
DeleteMy comment at 8:30 is an indication that a county council does have power and does serve as a check on the Exec. It is also an admission that I had my facts wrong.
ReplyDeleteTo 7:48 AM. This is another case of a little bit of knowledge being a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen you come to work for any County, you are promised certain benefits as part of your wage packet. Insurance is one of them. You work for that wage and those benefits and the SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA has RULED "when an employee comes to work for a government he/she is entitled to those benefits he/she were promised when first hired". Also, "those benefits may not be diminished in any way". Just because someone lives outside of the BC/BS medical coverage area does not mean the County may no longer pay their medical benefits. If you reside outside of the newly aligned 17 County area for coverage (snowbirds) etc. BS and BC BLUE JOURNEY MEDICAL does not cover you. That is where the "REFRESH" comes into play. You were promised certain benefits when you come to work for the County and those are your legal right (according to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania) to utilize.
That applies to all employees hired after 2011.
ReplyDeleteMaybe ppl out there will stop looking at us as some greedy people thinking we are trying to get rich. And we have some ridiculous benefits package. Nope. When we ask for a step remember the more we make the more goes into the pension fund. In a couple years the county will be paying out more money then coming in to the pension
Deletefund. Some topped out employees will make more money in retirement then a 10 year active employee. It will catch up someday. But no one cares if it doesn't effect them.
Lehigh county stopped life health in 1987. Consider yourselves very luck it took til 2011!!
ReplyDeleteI used to be a big proponent of increasing the minimum wage. I must say the market is controlling wages today. McDonalds on 248 is starting at 15 bucks an hour. Target starts at 15. Part time UPS is paying 21. Nobody in PA is making 7.25 an hour unless working in field that assists and employs people with disabilities ect.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the CO's go, they should make more money. Walking into a jail everyday to go to work is no joke.
I thank this person for their support. No CO is asking for more money just the steps they are told they will get. At year ten be on step ten. Not step 3. The pay box is fine they just choose to not use it. Lamont can stand there and drop taxes and next year when the contracts come due for the majority of unions he will be already reelected to his last term and tell us all there is no money for steps. But just gave his bosses and friends one this year to keep their support. And your very accurate about the jail not being a joke . Its amazing when the shit hits the fan watching a new officers eyes open up. It's a very dangerous place. But they not care. Just keep it in the walls.
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