Last night, NorCo Council adopted Exec Lamont McClure's proposed $502 million spending plan (you can see it here) for 2025. Although Council made a few changes, the now adopted budget maintains the same tax rate as this year. If you're a county taxpayer, this means that the current 10.8 mill tax rate will remain the same. A home assessed at $75,000 will receive a tax bill for $810.
Under our Home Rule Charter, a balanced budget is required. Total proposed spending may not exceed anticipated revenue.
McClure's $502 million spending plan is $51 million less (9.3%) than it was last year. Interestingly, only $104.4 million of the county's budget (20.9%) comes from real estate taxes. The rest comes from intergovernmental grants, fees and fines, investment income and fund balance.
Open Space: In his Budget Message, McClure notes has set aside $3 million for open space, something he has done every year. He believes this is one way that the county can slow down warehouse proliferation
Emergency stabilization fund: This is also known as the rainy-day fund, and County Council requires a minimum balance of 5% of the total expenditures expected over the course of the year. The county has set aside $8.1 million, or 5.6% of anticipated expenditures.
Gracedale: No county funds will be needed to keep Gracedale operational.
Employee costs: Northampton County has budgeted for 1,913 full and part-time employees, although the total number right now is closer to 1,700. Career service (nonunion) workers are getting a step in their PayScale, which translates to a 4.5% raise. Union salaries have also increased in accordance with collective bargaining agreements with the county's 11 unions. Yet the total cost of salaries and benefits has decreased 1.4%. In 2024, $166.2 million was set aside for salaries and benefits. But McClure has set aside $163.9 million, over $2 million less in 2025. This might be because the county is asking employees to pay more for healthcare. The county contribution to healthcare and dental is projected to be $705,600 less this year than it was in 2024.
There were major issues with three amendments proposed by Council members John Goffredo and John Brown.
Goffredo proposed removing a little over $3.1 million in operating expenses across all divisions and P25 radio system. He clarified last night that he wanted to reduce operation expenses, but not salaries or benefits. Fiscal Director Steve Barron said that this would result in an unbalanced budget. Moreover, this change would require him, and not Council, to decide where these cuts are made. Goffredo and Council Solicitor Chris Spandoni countered that the budget would still be balanced and would give the administration the "discretion" to decide where to make cuts.
Participating by phone, Council member Ron Heckman applauded Goffredo for making an effort, but said "you're not going to get anywhere if there isn't a cooperative attitude between the administration and Council."
Goffredo's proposed amendment failed in a 5-4 vote. Voting yes were Goffredo, Brown, Lori Vargo Heffner and Tom Giovanni. Voting no were Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan, Jeff Corpora, Jeff Warren and Ron Heckman.
Brown's major amendment was the addition of $5 million to the county's "rainy day" fund. A Council ordinance concerning the rainy-day fund requires that between 5-15% in operating expenses be set aside. In conformity with that ordinance, McClure's proposed budget set aside 5.6%. This amendment does throw the budget out of balance, and Fiscal Director cited several examples of where the county could fall short, from money for raises to money for health care costs. Brown said it would be up to the administration to "rebalance the budget."
Council member Heckman agreed with Barron's contention that he would be presented with what is in effect a Morton's fork, a choice between two equally unpleasant alternatives.
The one big amendment that passed was the removal of $1 million for outside nurses at Gracedale to fund the P25 radio system. After basically accusing Fiscal Director Steve Barron of lacking transparency, Vargo Heffner gaveled Barron down when he attempted to defend himself and called for the vote even though the matter was not fully debated.
The removal of $1 million for nursing services at Gracedale was approved by Goffredo, Brown, Vargo Heffner, Corpora and Giovanni. It was opposed by Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan, Jeff Warren and Ron Heckman.
The budget amendments collectively were adopted by a 6-3 vote. Voting Yes were Goffredo, Brown, Vargo Heffner, Corpora, Heckman and Giovanni. Voting No were Keegan, Kraft and Warren. The budget itself was adopted by a 7-2 vote, with only Kraft and Keegan dissenting.
This is the seventh no-tax hike budget under Exec Lamont McClure. One of them actually included a tax cut.
Updated 9:50 am to reflect that Warren votes Yes to the budget.
41 comments:
Beep Beep !
How Lori Vargo Heffner snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
The final budget vote was 7-2, not 6-3. Warren voted yes on the budget as amended.
I don't understand why they are giving the union people less then what was initially agreed on. I didn't think it was possible to bend those numbers to your liking, especially if something else was agreed on. No doubt the union employees won't be happy with this.
Jeff Warren voted yes for the budget. Please correct your post.
Kel Keegan is a tiger ! She is McClure strongest allie on Council, and she makes Lori look weak.
Bernie, do you know if county retirees are getting a COLA for 2025?
They sure are.
7:19, Thanks for p[ointing out my error, which I corrected.
7:53, Everyone is getting what was promised.
Yeah she sure is there biggest "allie". Dumb and dumber.
Mid-term will get rid of more democrats They are evil people.
It took some time, but Jeff Corpora I’d rounding into form. For an appointed Commissioner, he’s demonstrating outsized influence.
9:58 I agree!
What’s incredible to me is that they persisted in their lawlessness throughout the night, and that Spadoni was giving them cover to vent their spleen.
Any news on county retirees getting a COLA?
Part of the reason salaries and benefits dropped so much is probably because the Conservation District was removed from the budget. 10 positions were eliminated there. Accounting for benefits that's probably a good $800k or so.
Do you know what that COLA raise is going to be?
Kelly Keegan isn't only the dumbest council person, but she and Brown don't use their microphones. Kraft is also at times an offender. Not that she has anything worthwhile to say. She is clearly there to cover for the administration and bring up people to repeat things that already was presented.
Her performance with Barron was bad. She constantly asked him to come up and engage in council's debates, she has no clue what the separation of powers mean, someone give her a civics lesson. He would again and again repeat and bloviate in his condescending and arrogant ways things he already said. Problem is given his history no one trusts him.
At least we aren't in Allegheny County: 36% property tax increase in their most recent budget. Aye caramba! Give the executive and council (well, 7 of them) credit.
Why did DPRKK and that other loser vote "no" on a budget that not only didn't have a tax hike, but also reduced spending? Vote them out next time around.
8:32: Tigers are intelligent, deft creatures. DPRKK is neither.
K. Keegan is a total empty suit ala K. Harris. Just doing the bidding of the machine that put her (them) there.
It’s amazing the lengths Vargo Heffner was willing to go, just to try and hurt Lamont. She was willing to interfere with core county services in order to do it.
You mean puppet. Fixed it for you.
At least Kel Keegan didn’t endanger public safety in the Slate Belt like John Goffredo.
You McClure troll(s) sound pretty stupid. You hate Lori, we get it. Actually, you hate anyone who disagrees with Trump, I mean McClure. You women are vicious. And yes, just by being the dumbest council member in years, Kel Keegan endangers us all.
You seem to not understand how unions and their Contractual Bargaining Agreement (CBA) works. I’ll explain - if the union negotiates and both sides agree to a new contract then the union WILL and MUST get what’s agreed to. You are spreading lies like sledge on non county farm fields. Just stop!
At the October Retirement Board meeting rumor has it that a COLA was approved for retirees. Don’t remember the amount that was stated but yes retirees will be getting another increase. County and that board seem to care a lot about retirees who devoted years to the public! If you are a retiree thank you for your time!
Democrats are evil? How? Because at the federal level their picks to run important agencies were intelligent and experienced unlike the current picks being made?
Evil because they tend to help less fortunate people?
Evil because their party doesn’t feel the need to control a woman’s body?
Please give your laughable statement some substance.
Evil will be tariffs on anything coming into our country my friend. Evil is forcing the citizens to pay more on most items we buy just for one person to make a name for themselves.
I feel this incoming Cheetos-in-Chief is evil!
I think J.P. Goffredo and Company want to raise taxes.
BernieOHare to 7:25, the cut across all divisions, as originally proposed, would have made a 2.5% cut to unions. This, of course, is illegal and I pointed it out
@ 4:22 How dramatic are you? Keegan has one vote just like the rest of the Commissioners.
Seems to me the people who possibly can be endangered are the residents of Gracedale. And you probably voted for that amendment.
I would be upset too if I were backing Lori Vargo Heffner who took a $3000.00 taxpayer vacation to Florida.
Lori Vargo Heffner is a huge loser. She tried to derail Lamont and burn it all down. He outplayed her, and now she is greatly diminished.
Yes, I am a retiree and thank you !
I think McClure and his one minded thinking " I'm great" mind screwed the county once again. Kick the can down the road. Instead of fixing the employment problems at the jail and gracedale and JJC. Let just take that rainy day fund. And buy land. Ppl are gonna say it's great. But with the hiring issues at this county the balloon is gonna burst and Lamont and Steven and Mary Lou are hoping it happens after they are gone. Sad to say it's coming sooner then later.
Thanks for the info my anonymous friend, but I don’t qualify for the COLA, I only retried in April 2024, you have to have been retired for a year to qualify , talk about a Debbie Downer! Oh well, Happy Holidays!
Evil incarnate indeed, is the incoming Cheat-O-in-Chief.
Astute observation!
Dream Perfect Regime KK! That's a stretch Vlad! But she would take that as a compliment!
Isn’t Lamont running again in 2025? Who’s he kicking the can to himself ?
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