In his final days as a member of NorCo Council, Ron Heckman tried something he had never done before. He proposed a one-mill tax hike. Despite whatever he had been led to believe, his motion died for lack of a second. An amended budget that with a few exceptions is identical to Executive Lamont McClure's proposed spending plan, was adopted by a vote of 7 to 2. The amended budget was supported by Lori Vargo Heffner, Kelly Keegan, Jeff Corpora, Jeff Warren, Tom Giovanni, John Brown and Ron Heckman. Voting No were Ken Kraft and John Goffredo.
The biggest amendment was for the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. It was budgeted to receive $625,000 in McClure's proposal but wanted an additional $461,000. Council President Vargo Heffner suggested that the county provide $365,000. This is less than the planning agency wanted but would make NorCo's contribution the same as Lehigh County's contribution. This amendment passed by a vote of 6 to 3, with Kelly Keegan, Ken Kraft and Jeff Warren being the dissenters.
The discussion that preceded this vote was pretty much along the same lines as during the budget amendment hearing last week. Ken Kraft was strongly opposed, claiming that LVPC already has a huge surplus.
Outgoing Exec McClure was pleased at the adoption of the budget. "“From the beginning, I promised to end the over-taxation of the people of Northampton County,” he said in a news release. “Eight straight years without a tax increase, and a tax cut that returned $25 million to our residents, shows that we kept that promise.” He added that, since 1961, NorCo has never gone eight years without a tax hike.
57 comments:
This is a remarkable achievement by McClure, but surely Steve Barron gets credit here.
God Bless Lamont !
Poor old Ron Heckman must be having age related brain issues. He ends his elected time with a tax increase proposal. Didn't anyone tell him we don't want any tax increases.
A budget with no contribution to the employee pension fund and no Gracedale operating deficit. It's unrealistic, unsustainable and Mr. Heckman knows it.
Bend over Norco residents. It's coming and this time it will be bigger and hurt even more.
McClure’s fiscal and financial management has been nothing short of phenomenal. However, it’s really his handling of the pandemic and how he got us through it, as safely as he could, that stands out.
Tell them how you did it Monty. By not giving step raises to county employees and by telling each office to cut their spending by 10%. By holding back on promotions and hiring. Go ahead tell them. Oops I guess I just did. County employees will not forget you come election time.
McClure can spout off all he wants, but he has left the county on precarious financial footing.
A special Thank You goes out to Ron Heckman from the Northampton County Retirees for his recognizing the shortfalls of the proposed budget and the impact it may have on future Councils and taxpayers. Good Luck and best wishes in your Retirement Ron.
Gerald (Jerry) Seyfried
No contribution for county retirees and none for Gracedale. It is puzzling yet it isn’t.
Good luck, TZ
The McClure lackeys are hard at it this morning.
Lets be very clear - Gracedale = legit dumpster fire.
The budget - FUBAR
They arent funding the pensions and health benefits to be able to "balance" the budget.
Not to mention they are somehow going to budget $10 million less at gracedale in 2026 (GD will most likely spend MORE in 26, not less.).
This is before a much needed pay study / wage restructure occurs.
Long story short - the county is in terrible shape. Morale is shot, financials are bust, and Lamont has the audacity to brag as if he did something noteworthy.
One thing you can say about Lamont - he makes a perfect politician. Scumbag liar who will lie, cheat, and steal to grasp the next rung of the power ladder.
There will be a tax increase or reassessment (aka tax increase) before 2026 ends because McClure sucked every penny out of that place.
God help us as these losers continue to fail upward. We need Leaders - not politicians.
Somethings rotten in the Courthouse and the stench is overwhelming. The only Council Person who cares about the employees spoke up last night and his fellow council members let him hang out to dry. McClure enjoyed eight years with no tax increase budgets, not because he was a good Executive, it was because John Brown left him with a gold mine, Dum Dum raised taxes so high because he thought he was going to be reelected and McClure was the benefactor of this incompetent act by Brown. Wait, you will see the mess that his predecessor is inheriting, and it isn't pretty. Good riddance McClure. We're all better off without you. How about fixing our wage scales?
Ron did what was the right thing time will prove him correct. The county will miss his vast knowledge of county government and human services in particular. Enjoy retirement Ron you served the people of Northampton County well.
McClure will rate in the middle of the pack of county executives Gene Hartzell remains number 1
You know who’s morale isn’t “shot” ? The taxpayers. They love this. And, if you think you should raise taxes to pay employees more to improve their morale, that’s an argument to be made. You should make it.
Are those real tears you’re crying ?
He had many opportunities to speak up over the years
So true!
2026 Will either show bipartisan leadership of a council responsible for council related concerns
or a continuation of sophomoric self serving bickering . This could be the year Gracedale falls
This is spot-on. And we are getting NO new talent in essential jobs. Even if they get hired on by Norco, they receive specialized training and take it elsewhere as soon as they can.
Looking forward to the pay studies in particular. They should be fascinating. I also think Tara needs to looks at the hundreds of years of vacation, personal and sick time that is currently carried on the books by employees. The public would be fascinated in that all of this time is paid time beyond whatever Step and Grade you might find yourself on.
Up until just a few short years ago, Tara was DSA. It’s no surprise, that she will want to govern closer to Mandami than McClure.
I actually feel bad for TZ (and no one dislikes her more then me). McClure is touting how he didn't raise taxes and he gave a tax break during his 8 years. He can thank the federal money that came in. I am certain we will be looking at one big tax increase, or many smaller ones. TZ will have no money for her pet projects. TZ and council better keep an eye on every dollar that goes out.
Not on this particular budget. Ron spoke many times over the years on important issues.
Gracedale will not fail. Tara will save it and give every county employee, except Union, a raise, and all of us a 2 mil tax increase to pay for her promises
Until a family member need rehab or become bedridden, or need 24 hour care, or have dementia….then the game changes.
Agree that the county is now in the hands of amateurs and low energy part time players. The new executive will surround and insulate herself with those who she thinks will understand county government, but she will be hard pressed to overcome her own short comings. Wish her well, for our sake.
Stupid statement.
You can thank McClure if Gracedale fails. No one is more despised in the government than McClure for how he treated employees. Sorry, he can't hide from this one.
Spoken like a true Dum Dum, Browns tax increase was in his FIRST year as executive, remember what he did to the employees or did you not participate in the #1 courtroom when he gutted your benefits amongst many other stupid things. McClure came in and Fixed all if browns bullshit without a tax increase, YOU are way better off now then you were 8 years ago when Brownstain was the executive and Cathy Allen was running around firing everyone who talked bad about the Brown administration. Oh and lets not forget about the popcorn machine
annon 11:49, he did and so did others, Steve
I hope Tara thinks ii t is worth it. She was given money and will keep McClure's team, even after they shafted her.
How did he treat employees ? For example, are they angry that their healthcare was improved after Brown, and then they didn’t have any increases to it for 8 years ?
Maybe all of the underpaid employees who have low morale should quit their County jobs and get employment in a place with better salary and benefits. This will teach the County a lesson.
Tara knew and did McClure’s bidding long enough to know the financial and personnel issues . Stop playing she’s innocent. She now has the title and job she foraged for, so now her abilities to actually do what she so proudly, and loudly, heralded will be exposed.
No one can save something if they haven’t taken the time to study, visit, open the financials, learn the federal regulations and dig into other county nursing facilities to ask questions, and learn from successful professional nursing home managers. You must listen,
not just talk or give false initiatives.
Popcorn and Pepsi time
Tara should keep the whole Team, but she won’t. But, she will keep most of it b/c it is a Team of strong professionals hand picked and molded by McClure.
Exactly. I’m not a fan of TZ either, but she won and I want her to do well. She’s going to have to deal with a financial mess, and she can’t blame the previous administration because she supported everything he did.
Spout off ? He’s proud of his historic achievement. If Tara can’t manage for 1 year a half-billion dollar budget she inherits, maybe she should not have run. She’s been on County Council and she’s been County Controller. She knows all the key players and most of them want her to succeed. (Peg’s daughter being a glaring exception.) She’s going to be just fine.
Socialist minded PACs investing 250,000 into the Executive race to have access to 2,000,000,000 ($2 BILLION ) over 4 years is well worth the investment. The LABOR Unions and PACs fund the candidates that they can manipulate. The Countywide Democrat winners from this past election personal net worth is probably in the negative. Yeah, that is who I want making decisions for me.
Could have had a Republican Dream Team on Council. Unfortunately Soros funded narrative duped the uneducated Democrat voter.
Maybe this is the cycle they make it out of the ghetto as has been promised by the narrative.
The whole team of professionals, that can’t keep records correctly and lie to the public about the second largest county nursing home of the 67 counties? Sure…
He knew all along, why did he wait until he’s leaving to attempt a totally toothless tax hike? Have a quiet retirement Mr. H .
Sorry, He was only a voice to keep him relevant, if he had such a command of those to help around him, why didn’t he open up and push earlier on? Nope, he missed his chance years ago.
Wow, jump on the campaign train and see where that goes. The facts on firing a professional nursing management team that lead to bad ratings at Gracedale, the conveniently slow audit time frame, the other voting machines that could not be demonstrated to election commission because of a snow storm , the insertion of his opinion to steer the council his way when the HRC specifically prohibits him from joining in such discussions….yep…outstanding.
Let’s not forget that TZ was on council and heard and knew the inside tracks. Did she focus on funding needs or accountability, nope, she went after plastic straws and bags.She then chose to chase pipelines, so go ahead and tell us how focused she was.
Facts tend to hurt or antagonize haters.
Please do us a favor, and at least quit posting this drivel on here
Oh Amy, you shouldn’t be rooting so hard against Tara. She’s a winner. You’re a loser. You can learn something from her.
Are you the blog guy who calls Trump and his people Nazi?
Amy, you should get a job.
This has to be satire lol!
Mcclure got rid of many competent nonpolitical positions when he came. He outright lied as did his team to some like Ken Kraft lied about who was loosing their job. They termed career service that brown brought in and eventually premier and gracedale failed because of him. His insecurity and lack of listening to the reality at gracedale got us where we are today. Yes people aren't the ones you want managing. Proof in the outcomes
Go away you nut- we're in for a ride with an incompetent Executive and a crazy, left-wing Council!
You know NOTHING about PACS , the Democratic coffers, nor do you under understand how they work. Get an hobby.
Tara can’t save Gracedale’s. She doesn’t even know how it functions. She doesn’t know anything about its structural or maintenance needs, nor how to afford real nurses and not rent a staff personnel. TZ will demonstrate willingness key what little she claims she can do.
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