I often hear that city governments are always raising taxes because they are full of spendthrift Democrats. Bethlehem and Allentown are often guilty as charged. Despite getting millions in American Rescue Plan Act and CARES Act funding, Bethlehem wants a 2.6% tax hike while it pretends to care about affordable housing. Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk sought 2% because City Council appropriated ARPA funds for a nonprofits slush fund instead of using this money to replace revenue. Those rocket scientists instead chose to close a $760,000 gap by invading the city's rainy day fund for emergencies. Unlike either of its sister cities, Easton's Democratic City Council voted Wednesday night for its 16th budget with no tax increase.
Parking meter rates will rise. There will be a $5 increase in trash bills. But property taxes will remain the same.
This is how you make housing affordable.
The meeting was marred by a last-minute demand for a $100,000 emergency relief fund from Council member Taiba Sultana. She arrived late to the meeting and had no suggestion about what she'd cut to establish this fund, and was unable to explain what qualifies as an emergency.
Sultana had called for a budget hearing on Tuesday. All Council members were there, waiting for her at 6 pm. She failed to show, and that meeting was canceled.
Instead of attending the budget hearing, Sultana was participating in a combination protest and menorah lighting ceremony in Bethlehem.
"That is where you were on Tuesday for the meeting you called and didn't show for ...," noted Easton resident Patty Brennan Hitzel.
"Yes, Proudly," responded Sultana.
She later claimed that she attended every budget hearing, including the one she called on Tuesday and at which she failed to appear because she was busy protesting in Bethlehem..
Maybe she has an invisibility cloak.
Ironically, on December 5 in Easton, Sultana held a candle during a menorah lighting in Easton without uttering a word of protest.
45 comments:
That woman fouls the menorah
By far it would seem Allentown is the most dysfunctional. Bethlehem seems to be more on the ball. Obviously, Easton is on a continued up trend and currently thriving. As for the Easton councilwoman, she seems more concerned with getting headlines (for good or bad) than to assist her city. I guess there’s always one. I look forward to seeing how Easton votes if she seeks re election.
Easton won't have to worry about her anymore. At least not directly. She's getting appointed to Tara Z's post soon. Then she is the whole county's issue. What a Christmas present!
This seems a bit misleading. Isn't Easton maxed out on millage for a Pennsylvania Third Class city? Current millage is 24.95 against a cap of 25. Goldsmith took it all. That's why Sal has regularly raised fees, and even mugged county employees with his pickpocket commuter tax. Easton has one of the highest - if not the highest - tax and fee burdens in the Lehigh Valley. Announcing how great they are for not raising taxes is like thanking the Grinch because he left a crumb or two for Cindy Lu Who. Easton is not fiscally responsible. It's fiscally handcuffed. And still picking the pockets of county employees who are unfortunate enough to work there.
Easton is thriving, new construction abounds. The downtown area has multiple construction endeavors happening. People are flocking to Easton to partake of its rich history, restaurants and housing opportunities that prevail. Sal Panto has done a wonderful job as Mayor (and I tell him every time I see him), all without raising taxes. The festivals throughout the summer and fall are legendary and are attended by people from all over the area, some from different states. Mayor Panto was instrumental in cleaning up Southside Easton. The Delaware Terrace projects on Southside was a shooting gallery that has been transformed into single family homes renamed Neston Heights. The Wood Avenue roadway from 7th to 13th street has been repaired, College Ave on the hill will shortly have bump out curbs to assist with keeping the students and pedestrian foot traffic safer. I could go on and on but the reality is it didn't cost the taxpayers a dime. Lest I forget a new City Hall and parking garages under his tenure. Most importantly more new projects on the way such as the Confluence Apartment project where the old Days Inn
downtown used to be. Additionally there are two new housing projects on Larry Holmes Drive. In my opinion Easton can only be ruined from the inside out not from the outside in and this councilwoman Sultana could be part of the reason if not voted out.
10:48 sounds like Roverfan. The Confluence project has ben stalled for years now and you overpaid for the Days Inn. Real estate taxes cannot go higher but water, sewer, and parking rates have. The commuter taxation without representation is courtesy of Bob Freeman. Sultana will be gone in 2 years when her term is up but the tax burden will remain.
I don’t live in Easton but I believe I read somewhere that Easton is basically maxed out as far as taxes go. There is no doubt Easton is run much better than Bethlehem and Allentown. Sal has been a good mayor that does the best he can with what he has.
Since Easton is doing so well, isn't it time to rescind the mean-spirited commuter tax? It can't be enough to make a difference in awesome Easton. Why continue to collect something so apparently unnecessary? When Sal raised the commuter tax, did that not count as a tax increase? I'll bet he cheats at golf, too. No increase in 16 years my ass.
Easton can’t legally raise property taxes. They’re at the ceiling or within a few cents of it.
The COE is living off of taxes unconstitutionally being charged to Deputy Sheriffs who don’t live in The COE.
It’s not just Sheriff’s deputies, it’s everyone who works for the County in Easton who’s being unlawfully taxed.
“And I tell him every time I see him”. Which is quite often when I shave or look into a mirror… hey folks roverfan is back in action
You give Easton too much credit. As the comment above points out, they can't raise taxes. The cap on 3rd class cities is 25 mills. Easton is at 24.95 mills. And now they have raised the already highest trash collection fee in the valley to fund their general fund. It is government at its worst.
When the Wyatt Arpa money is gone, Easton is going to be in a world a hurt.
10:37. Bullsh*+. Council members can’t stand sultana
With that shooting at Sal’s Santa Shoo the utter night people might not feel safe.
All the development is being cut back. Sal shoulda gun out on top.
Why won’t McClure protect his employees from The Sal Tax ?
Anon, 2:08:
Well, 10:48 sure as hell ain't Ed Reagan!
Sultana should apply for the seat on council soon to be vacated by Zrinski. NorCo desperately needs a foreign relations head-butter, er, arm to solve the problems in the Mideast.
This is the last year the city has covid money to spend. What happens then? What about the stalled project at Third and Larry Holmes? I used to go once a week for pizza in a downtown shop but wont go there anymore because of the high parking rates. That restaurant scene downtown is geared for the rich from North Jersey and NYC .When all these projects are completed there will be a parking nightmare. And how much did it cost to erect that stupid arch across Northampton St? Instead of saying "West Ward" it should have read "Welcome To The Ghetto". And how much police overtime was spend investigating the recent shooting downtown just off of Centre Square and how about the stabbing that happened downtown a few days before? How did the city administration manage to cover that up? Nothing in the press. Lock your doors when traveling downtown Easton.
Too many people talking to themselves in these comments...
Taiba Sultana proposed a policy at the “last minute”? So what? I am sure there is no timing set to propose any policy.
Instead of worrying about her, worry about the members who have never proposed any policy or resolution in their entire terms.
Hmmm...sounds fishy. There's something rotten in Denmark.
All good questions my friend. I fear Easton is doomed.ðŸ˜
I am sure Councilwoman Sultana can't stand the old retiree Sally puppets.
Sal, Rodger, and Kenny Browm are frauds. My understanding is it was a committee meeting, not a budget hearing and according to the city’s record, none of them was present.
Sultana should only be "worried about" when she demonstrates her inability to follow rules related to agendas. If you elect an idiot, you get an idiot. When she's ineffective because she lacks basic understanding of procedures, that's on her idiot voters. They deserve ineffective representation. The adults will continue to run things. The system is built for grown ups; not ineffective, flailing ingrates.
She’s an idiot
"My understanding is it was a committee meeting, not a budget hearing and according to the city’s record, none of them was present."
Let's establish what it was and address the falsehood being spewed by Sultana on social meeting.
1) Sultana told Panto that she wished to discuss a last-minute budget amendment at the final budget hearing, which Panto was going to cancel bc everything was done.
2) It was a scheduled meeting of the entire city council, not a committee.
3) The entire city council came for the meeting, with the exception of Sultana. She was at a protest in Bethlehem.
4) City Council gave her 15 minutes. When she failed to show, they left.
5) Sultana DID miss the budget meetings last year. Some were because she was in Pakistan dealing with a family issue. That is understandable. But others were bc she was down South, knocking on doors in Georgia's senate race. That is inexcusable.
Sultana was elected to serve the people of Easton. She does not do that by participating ion protests in Bethlehem or campaigning in Georgia and missing crucial meetings about the most important thing a city council does. Shame on her.
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Bernie, you know this whole thing is a lie. I understand your obsession with Taiba but she is the only effective member of this rubber stamp council.
Your article directed me to the work. Believe what you believe but Sultana’s proposed policy is incredible. Her heart is in people and their struggles. I believe she knows her stuff.
You can't raise the taxes in Easton. Mayor Sal Panto has been fooling the people of Easton. The councilwoman’s proposed policy is incredibly thoughtful and should come to fruition.
This information is incorrect. I get she doesn't align with your conservative ideology but you should not be spreading rumors about her. She has been great to our city and I wish her to continue representing us.
"Sandy," "Josh" and "Sammy" are further evidence of Sultana's dishonesty. Posted in rapid succession, they obviously come from the same person.
The reality is that a city council meeting was scheduled on Tuesday night for the express purpose of discussing a budget amendment from Sultana. If that is not a budget hearing, I do not know what is. Sultana failed to show at the appointed time, even though Council and a reporter were there. They gave her 15 minutes and then left. The world does not revolve around her. She was also late to the Wednesday city council meeting at which the budget was adopted.
Her amendment was frivolous. She wants to throw $100k at her favorite people without bothering to say where the money comes from. That is patently ridiculous.
That maybe true, however instead of attending a protest ma Sultana should have attended a meeting in which she was elected. Proposing an amendment at would cost $100,000.00 at he last minute when the budget was finalized is not prudent those funds have to be budgeted and funded from where? She is a poor excuse for an elected official.
The only thing fishy is what sultana is pushing,
I have looked onto the highest rate Easton can impose. It is 25 mills, but it does have the right to petition the court for up to 5 additional mills. It may also seek additional taxes on residents of $5 just for being residents. It can impose an additional recreational tax. It can also impose "special purpose" levies. To my knowledge,. Easton has done none of that and has kept tax rates steady for 16 years. That is impressive.
Here'e the statute: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2014&sessInd=0&act=22
"Believe what you believe but Sultana’s proposed policy is incredible."
How precisely, you meat puppet?
lol “meat puppet”. Not sure what that is but I am quite sure that Sultana is a radical far left crazy in a state of perpetual hysteria. She’s a nut and should be immediately voted out.
I think we have very different definitions of "impressive".
10:41. Perfectly stated. She is an idiot that only uses “trigger topics” to get her name going. Like racism, genocide, anti this or that. She has no substance at all but to creat a divide. According to online docs she has court this week for abusing her son. Let’s hope the DA does the right thing and protects the son
Allentown is a shit hole. Bethlehem keeps raising taxes and is to expensive. Easton is doing all the right things.
Hi Bernie, Sal Panto here. I would like to clarify the issue about the millage ceiling. The ceiling for a city of the Third Class like Easton is 25 mils for the General Fund. This does not include a number of budgets that aren't part of the General Fund. The actual millage rate for the General Fund is about 12 mils and all budgets combined including recreation, debt service, etc. equals 24.95 mills. Let's also remember that I have never shied away form the fact that we are increasing fees, like parking fees. The intent is to place any increases on our visitors and tourists, and not the city property owners, many of who are elderly and on a fixed income. The fact is that we could raised the millage rate a lot higher if we needed to but my intent is to keep it level and hopefully lower the rate.
Thank you for the clarification, Mayor Panto. Much appreciated. Unfortunately, few people are reading this post today, so I will host your comment in a separate story so people know. You and I have had our disagreements over the years, and they will continue bc we both say what we think. But you are probably the LV's best Mayor over the past 25 years. I thought Cunningham was pretty good and you're either with or above him.
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