Last night, Northampton County Council met to consider seven amendments to the Executive's proposed budget for next year. They adopted six, some of which the administration contends violate the Home Rule Charter's requirement of a balanced budget.
Before I get into them, let me tell identify the participants so I can refer to them by surname.
The cast consisted of Council members Lori Vargo Heffner, Jeff Corpora, John Brown, John Goffredo, Kelly Keegan, Jeff Warren, Ron Heckman, Ken Kraft and Tom Giovanni. Executive Lamont McClure, Fiscal Affairs Director Steve Barron, EMS Director Todd Weaver and Community and Economic Development Director Tina Smith. Heckman was unable to attend in person for good reasons made known to County Council in advance. Warren had to leave after the third amendment to attend a parent-teacher conference for his children.
Before Council got into the actual amendments, Barron reminded them that the Home Rule Charter makes clear that the budget must be balanced. Unlike the federal government, the county has no money trees. Ttal proposed spending may not exceed anticipated revenue. Council does have the power to amend, but it must leave intact any payments scheduled for debt service and it has no authority to modify the Executive's revenue estimates. If it wants to fund something, it has to find the money by making cuts elsewhere.
1) DCED COVID response grants. Removal of $225,000 for a bi-county rail study by the Lehigh Valley Planning Comm'n. (LVPC) Proposed by Vargo Heffner.
McClure called the amendment "misguided" and explained this money is intended for agency nursing at Gracedale. He added that LVPC is already sitting on $4 million of NorCo funds gathering interest. Vargo Heffner proposed it because Lehigh County has set aside funds and wants a match from NorCo. They only would get the money if a rail study is actually done. County.
Goffredo agreed with McClure, saying the money is sorely needed at Gracedale. Kraft would love to have passenger rail, but "we've been talking about a train forever."
This amendment died for lack of a second..
2) Take away $8,000 in hotel taxes for IronPigs and LV Public Telecommunications Corps to provide $8,000 for Bangor's 150th birthday celebration. Proposed by Giovanni.
Bangor had asked for $20,000 for the birthday bash and general marketing and was awarded $15,000. Kraft said he is opposed because all three entities applied for grants and were recommended for them. Giovanni wants the money because the committee organizing it has a budget of $100,000.
Supported by Corpora, Vargo Heffner, Brown, Goffredo and Tom Giovanni..
3) Remove $25,000 from gaming grants to Bath Borough Hall and Firehouse for the purchase of backup generators. Proposed by Giovanni.
Bath Borough did not apply for this project, noted Smith has concerns. Bath Fire Co did get $15,000 for mobile radios. Kraft said they should apply next year and get more money. Giovanni said there is no backup power. Goffredo agrees that the grant process is one way, but Council members hear from constituents with reasonable requests. There must be a cash match.
Supported by Corpora, Vargo Heffner, Brown, Goffredo and Giovanni..
4) Remove $3,166,965 across all divisions to partially fund the P25 radio system. Proposed by Goffredo.
Goffredo stated the county typically budgets 120% of what is actually spent. He added that a P25 radio system is a "matter of life and death," but does not need a bond issue.
McClure said he doubts there are six votes for this, and he will veto it. A 2.5% cut would require McClure to reduce the step increase for career service to zero. He said that county does not spend all that is budgeted because of vacancies. Barron later addeed that not all money is spent because it is encumbered.
Weaver, EMS Director, said P25 was purchased from Bethlehem in 2019. To expand it, EMS secured grants for five sites. To continue the expansion, Weaver asked that it be included in a bond issue. Infrastructure must be in place before it can be tested. Vargo Heffner was irritated that the administration is now opposed to getting funding. "If you think it's funny, keep laughing, but I don't," she said to McClure. "You accused us of neglecting public safety."
McClure insists this amendment will result in an unbalanced budget and it also is cutting the court's budget and the DA's budget. It could lead to a lawsuit over the administration of justice. Goffredo, said to McClure, "If we spend less than we project for, why not project a little less and then we'll have money for the radios?"
Supported by Corpora, Vargo Heffner, Brown, Goffredo and Giovanni..
5) Remove $10,000 from future table grants to give $10,000 to Columbia Fire Co for a tool upgrade special unit. They asked for $20,000 and got $10,000. Proposeed by Giovanni
Supported by Corpora, Vargo Heffner, Brown, Goffredo and Giovanni..
6) Adding $5 million to financial stabilization "rainy day" fund. Proposed by Brown.
Barron stated this knocks the budget out of balance. McClure stated this would be a nullity and that the budget as he originally proposed it, would be the adopted budget. Vargo Heffner accused McClure of dramatics
Supported by Vargo Heffner, Brown, Goffredo and Tom Giovanni..
7) Removal of $775,000 from COVID grants to fund P25 radio project. Kraft asked if we could use COVID grants for P25. Barron stated that COVID money may be used for public safety. (Unsure who proposed this amendment)
Making a choice between agency nurses at Gracedale and P25.
Supported by Corpora, Vargo Heffner, Brown, Goffredo and Giovanni..
It appears to me that Goffredo's $3 million cut would violate the Charter because it would require cuts to funds that are already encumbered or needed for debt service. It is abundantly clear that Brown's amendment would result in an unbalanced budget.
38 comments:
It's all a game for McClure. He must win at all costs. Time for a Home Rule Charter review. Obviously, this administration puts on a democratic face, but it is really authoritarian in nature. No matter what is proposed he will claim it is unbalanced. Time for a truly independent audit. Something smells. Just like how the desperately needed radios are now not so desperately needed.
It’s been a The Gong Show all year long. It’s peak J.P. Goffredo to want to reduce the employees raise to $0 after always claiming they should be paid more.
Can’t we send the conflicted, ethically challenged Lori Van Heffner back to Tampa, so the employees can get a raise ???
More money needed at Gracedale? Why wasn't this part of his proposed budget? Mr. McClure presented a budget with no county contribution for the home, but is essentially admitting he expects continued operating deficits.
So Council wants money for a birthday bash, a tool, and a just in case fund and then wants cuts made else where which could include services and salaries? Make this make sense to me.
Give Vargo and Brown credit. They’re about to lead those lemmings off a cliff. The first unbalanced budget ever. Which is illegal.
Dear mom and dad, please stop using us as pawns in your nasty divorce. Sincerely, your kids aka the taxpayers and employees.
Have you ever seen such an irresponsible council? if ony 4 voted for the 5 million does that mean it dies at committee?
McClure is lying. Why would decreasing 'Operating' effect the Career Service pay raise? That would be a personnel expense.
Also, how is decreasing an expenditure going to put the budget out of balance?
McClure is way out of line by out right lying to council on the record. Just like how he told reporters that council was putting lives at risk by denying the bond because of the P25 radios. The radios that they dont need anymore.
Please dig into this Bernie.
I guess Giovanni has no respect for grant procedures and the 5 of them either don't understand the HRC or don't care about it. OR they just like performative politics and need to get in an immature pissing contest with McClure and Barron.
Lori’s banking that McClure will keep paying the bills no matter what, but he can’t or Council will have inadvertently put future Councils out of business.
These Councilmissioners are nutty. Forget no raises for the bosses. They case workers won’t be able to go out and check on vulnerable children and frail seniors. No budget. No pay for anyone. J. P., what have you done ?
Stop with the passenger rail nonsense. The talk, speculation, research, and studies need to disappear forever. It's not needed; and not wanted by any Valley resident with a lick of common sense.
If the County needs the new radios using the P25 standard, get them.
Love, love, love the 2.5 cut to the courts. Time to close the Kiddie Jail. Join up with the other Counties !
LVH knew her Republican friends wouldn't bring her amendment forward and it was only to make herself look like she was trying to help Becky. We see right through the BS.
You’re right back to the Commissioner system we go !
Oh, J.P. only meant that the County shouldn’t pay its bills. No electricity, no water, no sewer, that sort of thing ? Delete your account kid. You’re in waaay over your head.
I thought the Rail Service was put to rest decades ago? Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Lehigh and Northampton County turn down continued rail service because the cost was formidable. The charges and fees to the Counties were so great that they said it was cheaper to buy every user of the rail system to Philadelphia a new car than fund the system???? Wasn't SEPTA involved????? Isn't SEPTA on the verge of Bankruptcy? Hasn't all the rail lines been turned into Rail to Trails and Bike Paths. There are no railroad tracks in place so we must start from scratch. What are these nut jobs doing? Why isn't the Federal and State government involved in these studies? Doesn't anybody research this shit?
How are the judges going to spend all that money on Donuts at Dunkin'? Asking for a friend.
He's not lying. The county must provide core functions. The law requires several. The raises are probably 1 to 2 million. That funds most of the cuts lil Fredo wants and is going to get with Lori. Who just a few months ago said the employees were underpaid.
The county is still getting a P-25 system. Let's go back to the commissioner form of government. I that would assure Lori and Brown will be unelectable.
Yeah Brown's amendment is dumb.
Yep... children, seniors, veterans... he has hurt the most vulnerable citizens of the county. And right at Thanksgiving time too. J.P. would take a nickel from Tiny Tim and then kick out his crutch too.
Why should the County provide generators for a municipal volunteer fire Company? Let the Municipalities fund their volunteers fire Companies and Ambulance Corps. Isn't it enough that they financial rape us for police protection by not having their own police departments. We have to subsidize their police protection by paying increased taxes so the State Police can cover them for Police Services????? Enough is enough already! I'm a senior citizen living on a fixed income facing huge Federal cuts to my Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Stop the damn give-a-way programs and let the municipalities pay for their own services or suffer the consequences of their own stupidity but keep their financial monkey off my back. This is a municipal election coming up and I am watching this closely. Standby.
The P 25 standard has been around for so very long. case in point, the city of Bethlehem sold theirs to the county five years ago. Every administration and executive has kicked this can down the road for greater than a decade. Public safety has certainly been jeopardized year after year after year.
Brown should have recused himself from the Bangor Birthday allocation, his wife is on the Committee, Goffredo should have recused himself from the Columbia Fire Co tool upgrade, he is a Member there.
these people do not care about ethics they only care about the 5 votes from their neighborhood, or the free Lobster dinner that Kraft alluded to at the meeting
Bingo and Bingo!
Columbia should also maybe do a few more fundraisers then only during the annual Big Time carnival?
Rather the county grant funds NOT be used towards the purchase of a tool for a department that runs maybe 7 calls a year? Actually close them and get coverage from another local company. Put those egos aside…
I’m no where near age to collect social security and it may not be there when I turn the eligible age so please stop with that wore out, tired pitty cry.
Municipal generators, I agree the county SHOULD NOT fund those. There are plenty of federal grants to get them however, these municipal folks refuse to do the leg work for the funds.
Also they can drive to Harrisburg and pick up a generator at the stock pile for less than $2,000! Just have to pay to install it! Saves a ton of money and gets done on municipalities dime.
Defund the Council Clerk position. Then you have your radios.
Conflicts what conflicts ? The Vargo/Heffner/Brown Axis of Evil know no conflicts. For example, Lori is on a referral list to get work from the Court whose budget she oversees. No wonder she didn’t see a conflict when it came to the Health Center vote.
McClure toadies are out in force. Love those perks. First, we needed the P25 for safety before we didn't need it. Then we can only pay nurses with money they didn't have and then if the budget is cut in the slightest bit to give county residents safety, employees won't get paid. He should be ashamed at how he uses Mr. Weaver as a pawn to push his agendas.
Is this a government or something else. They lie, lie and lie. Slippery lawyer in charge. No other elected officials necessary, except of course the three rubber stamps reading their prepared statements.
Wow. Typical
Most if not all the ambulance services in Northampton County now charge for their service. Their employees are also paid. If they want this new radio service then let them pay for it. Let the local towns and boroughs pay for it. One suggestion is to defund the lehigh Valley Planning Commission and the LV Economic Development Commission and use those savings. The people that work in these two groups are nothing more than political parasites who are screwing the county taxpayers. Im sure that a sizeable group of residents in the Slate Belt are still using outhouses. Next thing you know they will want the county to float a bond to provide them with indoor plumbing.
Brown should put forth an amendment to cut services and salaries and bring back the popcorn machine. The birthday bash could use it. What a joke. Take note of what is valued.
Other elected officials are needed, just not the failed Executive John Brown and his handmaiden Lazy Lori Vargo Heffner. (I’d be pissed too if I voted against election security, personal safety and the ability of caseworkers to serve their vulnerable populations. And, then propose cutting employees salaries to pay for a system they don’t even understand.)
Todd Weaver is nobody’s yes man. If you doubted his credibility on the issue he stood right before you. You could have asked him, are they making you say these things ? Anyone who watches the YouTube will no the truth of it, and your cowardice.
Local funding works better as well as ending funding for LVEDC.
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