A tax hike is more than overdue, if only to make working for the county a little more attractive for employees. Moreover, Zrinski knows that what she seeks will never be approved by County Council. I believe she intentionally inflated her demand so that County Council can claim victory when it trims her proposal to a more realistic tax hike of about 1.5- 2 mills. That may have been a smart play with County Council, but not with the public. I've seen calls to action on social media, calling on people to attend budget hearings and complain.
Zrinski has attempted to justify what she calls an "honest budget" on her Substack page. It is far from honest. She first tries to minimize it, noting it's only $24.19 a month for the average taxpayer. For some. already burdened by high school taxes, this could be the final nail. She then plays the woman card for some reason that should be completely irrelevant to this discussion. She also plays the blame game, accusing "past administrations" (former Exec. Lamont McClure) for putting her in this position. This may to some extent be accurate, but she was a willing participant as a member of County Council. She finally admits that it's only a "recommendation," meaning that it's more of a wish list than a truly honest budget.
Shortly after the budget became available, so did a very thorough, but anonymous, online analysis called WhoBuiltThisShit. Some think this came from the Zrinski administration in an attempt to throw McClure under the bus. I think the analysis actually makes both McClure and Zrinski look pretty bad, so I doubt it came from any of her supporters. It is possible that someone in Fiscal Affairs prepared this analysis, and we'll eventually learn who because the shelf life of a secret in NorCo is about 15 minutes.
Zrinski is proposing a $44.5 million increase in property tax revenue, but more than half of this is to cover items that McClure left out of his final budget. A review of Zrinski’s proposed budget, her public statements, her County of Northampton Facebook Live presentation, her Substack writing, public reactions on social media and the independent analysis published at Who Built This Shit? suggests a more complicated picture. The county faces genuine financial pressures involving pensions, Gracedale, employee costs, overtime and its reliance on reserves. But the minimum amount necessary to address those problems should be far lower than what Zrinski seeks.
SPENDING INCREASES ABOUT 4%, BUT PROPERTY-TAX COLLECTIONS RISE MUCH MORE
The proposed 2027 budget totals approximately $566.9 million, compared with about $546.8 million in the 2026 amended budget. That represents an increase of approximately $20.1 million, or 4%. Property-tax collections, however, would increase by approximately $44.5 million, from roughly $99.5 million to $144 million. The difference is important.
It would be misleading to characterize the proposal as simply a $44.5 million spending increase. Some additional revenue would replace reserves and restore funding for obligations that were underfunded or deferred in the 2026 budget. But it would be just as misleading to focus exclusively on the $20.1 million increase in spending. Taxpayers are being asked to provide approximately $44.5 million in additional recurring property-tax revenue.
ZRINSKI HAS A LEGITIMATE ARGUMENT ABOUT THE 2026 BUDGET
One of Zrinski’s strongest arguments is that the 2026 budget did not fully reflect several expenses the county would ultimately have to confront. The independent Who Built This Shit? analysis found that the 2026 budget contained approximately $1.3 million for pensions, compared with approximately $8.2 million actually spent in 2025. The proposed 2027 budget contains approximately $12.2 million for pensions. The 2026 budget also contained no budgeted subsidy for Gracedale, even though the nursing home was expected to require approximately $3.9 million. The 2027 proposal includes approximately $12 million for Gracedale.The proposed budget also reduces reliance on fund balance by approximately $19.2 million. These figures support Zrinski’s contention that the county’s financial position cannot be evaluated simply by comparing the proposed 2027 budget with the 2026 budget.
Zrinski made similar arguments before becoming executive. During the debate over the 2026 budget, she criticized the practice of balancing a budget by failing to adequately fund programs and obligations. In that respect, her current proposal is consistent with warnings she made before she assumed office.
BUT THE NUMBERS DO NOT ESTABLISH THAT 15.5 MILLS IS THE ONLY ANSWER
The more difficult question is whether addressing those obligations requires the full proposed 4.7-mill increase. That seems doubtful. The independent analysis found that approximately $302.5 million of roughly $400.6 million in non-payroll expenditures—about 76%—is contained in broad or pooled categories These pooled categories make it difficult for taxpayers and County Council to determine whether savings are available. Tus is why I consider the budget dishonest or at least nontransparent.
Before approving any tax increase, Council should demand greater detail showing what is contained in the largest pooled accounts, who receives the money, whether expenditures are mandated and how much was actually spent in previous years. For major expenditures, the county should disclose vendors, contracts, purposes, prior-year spending, proposed spending and explanations for significant increases.
LIKE IT OR NOT, GRACEDALE REMAINS THE BIGGEST FINANCIAL AND POLICY QUESTION
Gracedale is at the center of the budget debate. In her Substack writing, Zrinski describes the county-owned nursing home as a public asset that provides accountability and a safety net for vulnerable residents. She has argued that the county should improve and preserve the facility rather than treat it simply as another expense. The proposed budget includes approximately $12 million for Gracedale. The independent analysis identifies that subsidy as an area requiring particular scrutiny. There are those who feel the cost of this facility, which is poorly managed, is simply too much.
Both positions can be valid. The fact that Gracedale requires taxpayer support is no justification, by itself, for selling the facility. But there still needs to be financial accountability. Zrinski has vowed to make Gracedale self-sustaining. When? How long will the county taxpayers be forced to support the facility, and at amounts that increase each year? When will the $12 million subsidy begin to decline, and when is it expected to reach zero? The administration should provide a five-year financial plan showing projected resident census, staffing costs, agency nursing costs, overtime, reimbursement rates, Medicare and Medicaid revenue, private-pay revenue and taxpayer subsidies.
Without measurable benchmarks, self-sufficiency remains an objective rather than a demonstrated financial plan. I have long argued that the county needs to plan for this, especially as more and more seniors stay away from nursing homes.
OVERTIME DESERVES CLOSER EXAMINATION
The independent analysis found that the proposed countywide overtime budget is approximately $6.2 million, compared with actual overtime spending of approximately $8.3 million in 2025 and projected spending of approximately $8.9 million in 2026. At the county jail, approximately $2 million is budgeted for overtime despite spending of approximately $3.8 million. These figures raise a management question: Would hiring additional full-time employees cost less than continuing to pay large amounts of overtime? That question cannot be answered simply by claiming the county has too many or too few employees. A department like Corrections or Gracedale can have numerous authorized positions but substantial vacancies, forcing existing employees to work overtime. The county should publish authorized positions, filled positions, vacancies and overtime costs by department.
The same issue applies to salaries. The independent analysis found that 2026 salary expenditures were budgeted at approximately $99.9 million, while projected actual spending was approximately $96.4 million. This reflects vacant positions, meaning the county has a recruitment and retention problem.
WHAT THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS GETS RIGHT
The Who Built This Shit? analysis is valuable because it identifies questions the county should answer. Its strongest point is that the budget fails to provide enough detail for taxpayers to determine whether the proposed 15.5-mill rate is the minimum necessary. A $12 million Gracedale appropriation may be justified. A large overtime account may be justified. Major infrastructure projects and professional-services contracts may also be justified. But taxpayers should be able to determine why expenditures are necessary and whether less expensive alternatives exist.
WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL SHOULD DEMAND
Before adopting the budget, Council should require a detailed breakdown of the additional property-tax revenue, including: Pension obligations and required contributions; Gracedale’s operating subsidy and five-year financial outlook; Employee compensation and staffing costs; Jail and corrections expenses, including overtime; Infrastructure and capital projects; Professional-services contracts and other major vendors; transfers between funds and the amount needed to replace reserves; and New initiatives and other discretionary spending; Potential savings from filling vacancies, reducing overtime and renegotiating contracts.
There is definitely room to cut. I particularly dislike the $500,000 grants to New Bethany and Skyline Investments. While New Bethany might be able to justify a grant, Northampton County Council voted 6-3 against giving Skyline a tax break for luxury apartments in Wilson Borough. It appears that Zrinski is seeking to funnel some dough to this for-profit venture through the back door, and at a time when the county needs every penny it can get.
"Northampton County Council voted 6-3 against giving Skyline a tax break for luxury apartments in Wilson Borough. It appears that Zrinski is seeking to funnel some dough to this for-profit venture through the back door"
ReplyDeleteBernie, the 500k to Skyline is a HUD grant that they applied for through the county. It is a pass through that does not involve county money. I voted against the Dixie TIF and would object to spending any county money on this, but it's an already approved grant.
I recall approval of that grant this year, so it should have been in one of the budget amendments. If it is merely a pass thru, I am less concerned but still dislike public funds going to for profit businesses no matter how altruistic they claim to be.
DeleteBernie, your opening comments were spot on. This is a very serious matter yet she presents herself as a joke. Truly unprofessional and definitely not qualified to run the county. If the government can’t effectively manage and run itself, how does it manage to run Gracedale? We have seen for years it can’t. Government should be run like a business and when something fails, you sell it, close it or get people that really know how to run it. You’re right, her laughter, her poor single mom story and nothing starts without me comment demonstrates her inability to lead this county. People are pissed and have every right to be. And blaming McClure? She was right in the middle of all of this even approving the tax cut. These next three years are going to be disastrous.
ReplyDeleteAgree. The woman is a head case. The scary part is instead of seeking advice and council she thinks she’s the smartest person in the room.
DeleteShe is bad news the people of Northampton County must admit their mistake and recall this woman immediately or they will have major problems for years to come, She ib not fit to run a government of any kind,
ReplyDeleteFirst, recall is unconstitutional, so let’s not waste any time either that nonsense. Second, anyone who has been paying attention knows a tax hike is necessary. Where Zrinski goes wrong is by making a ridiculously high request that she knows has no chance of success. She damaged herself with that and a fairly juvenile presentation, but a tax hike is definitely needed.
DeleteSince we cannot recall in PA we must a get a petition of as many people possible and present to her and council If it is overwhelming maybe she will resign because she is now a lame duck.
DeleteYou are typical we do not need to raise taxes in this time of affordability what we need is to cut spending and a lot of foolish spending starting with Grace dale and a lot of other stupid spending and I would not be surprised to see fraud in this county.
DeleteI cannot believe you are calling for more property tax by the county when you pay none yourself You must be one terrible person.
DeleteFirst of all, there has been overspending in the county for many years now is the time to cut back big time and lower taxes for everybody time to cut and cut some more to much overspending and foolish spending by those politicians and do not forget to check for fraud there is probably ab lot.
DeleteThe moron (probably Tricia) who posted the original comment about recall got angry at being told it is unconstitutional in Pa and had littered my comments with arguments about that and Democrats, of course, instead of the budget. I deleted every one of them and will continue to do so.
DeletePlease offer her a buyout and get rid of her immediately
ReplyDeleteHer public speaking skills are worse than a 3rd grader
And why does she keep McClure on the county payroll
She was given a golden egg by McClures mismanagement, and she turns around and lays a big turd.
ReplyDeleteVoters were bamboozled and now they are upset. Look in the mirror citizens.
ReplyDeleteBudget hearings are going to be a three-ring circus. Council can either be heroes or goats over this. Either way, TZ loses what little credibility she has.
ReplyDeleteShe really should stay off of social media. She only makes herself look even more silly and incompetent.
ReplyDeleteDO NOT raise my taxes to pay County employees more !
ReplyDeleteWhat a stupid comment.I would bet that if the county paid people low wages, the services would be what you pay for. Then you would complain about the bad employees of NorCo. You get what you pay you pay for.
DeleteCouncil should ask her to resign immediately if she doesn't the all should resign in protest to her being an idiot who will destroy Northampton county in the next 4 years.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has known that a tax hike was coming. Ron Heckman tried to urge Council to raise the millage rate last year, but no one would go along. Zrinski pointed out the problems before she took office. She has given multiple warnings. This is no surprise. What is shocking is the ask. It is more than she needs and she knows this.
DeleteCouncil should never ask for things that it can’t make happen.
DeleteCalling for elected people to resign is a cheap stunt. Headline hunting, not governance.
It’s not newsworthy.
McClure cut taxes in 2022. The amount the County has “lost” in revenue is the same amount of revenue that Zrinski is seeking to make up in 2027. So instead of making up the lost revenue in one year, why not raise taxes 1 mil this year. Over the next 4 years you’ll recoup the money you lost and then some as property values will only increase.
ReplyDeleteMcClure cut taxes 1 mill. This resulted in about $30-40 million in lost revenue to the county, but that $ went into the pockets of taxpayers and Zrinski voted for the cut. If you want to make up this loss, you can raise taxes 1 mill and you'll get it back over the same period that you lost it. Another mill is needed for Gracedale, which will cost $12 million this year.
DeleteOf course Tara was going to ask for more knowing full well council wouldn't support it. Ask for twice as much and hope for half. I bet the council will work together to help make this more appropriate. That's what the two entities are for. Let them do the work before you crucify anyone.
ReplyDeleteEveryone thinks they have all the answers.
It is nutz to raise property to taxes to put money in a pension fund that is already over funded.
ReplyDeleteHey asshole. it is underfunded. read the report
DeleteIs anyone the least bit surprised by this? Supporting voters, you got what you asked for with this poor excuse for an Executive and her equally ridiculous predecessor. Years of common sense stewardship and minor, justifiable tax increases and spending cuts - as opposed to self-serving political posturing - led to this unacceptable current state of affairs.
ReplyDelete(Original author) Should have read "...political posturing - could have prevented this unacceptable current state of affairs."
DeleteThis is a long post but very informative. The accounting is cloudy. Before anyone votes on anything let’s see where the money goes! Let’s see if there is cuts in other places to be made.
ReplyDeletecounty workers work 10 months a year for 12 months of pay. They get 19 holidays. They get 2 weeks of vacation to start. They get 6 personal days to start. They get 12 sick days. what is the average salary when you consider they only work 10 months but get paid 4 12
ReplyDeleteIt is quite clear that county workers are being paid too little. It is why the jail is unable to attract more people and is why Gracedale suffers. The benefits are good but the pay sucks, and we see the result. If you want to stop paying so much overtime, pay people what they are worth.
DeleteAgree with this. Give more money but 19 paid holidays is ridiculous. I wouldn’t mind saying we’ll give you 12 paid holidays and 3 personal days in exchange for better pay.
DeleteDon't worry, she added a ton of holidays this year to the employees of the county, isn't she swell?
DeleteTypical DSA mentality. Ask for more and more to grow government. This is not good management of our taxpayer dollars. I wouldn’t mind paying a little more but show us where every dollar goes instead of asking for a ridiculous and unserious tax increase.
ReplyDeleteWe need more taxes who ever believes this is an idiot. government has robbed us for years and people like Bernie what more taxes what a great guy.
ReplyDeleteI watched the news conference- in horror! It was like watching a petulant child. Tara just never matured emotionally, and you can always tell when someone is way out of their league- she is wrong person for the job.
ReplyDeleteLehigh and Northampton both have immature executives right now.
DeleteStill waiting for all the apologies owed to John Brown for calling out the money pit at Gracedale well before anyone else did.
ReplyDeleteOn pensions, I'm not excusing Lamont, he was a train wreck, but the part that is missing from this analysis is the growth in the fund itself. I still think contributions should have been made, but the Dow was up 13% in 2025, that'll cover part of the sins.
After 2 bad Executives who put the County deeper in the hole, and Gracedale on life support, we needed an Executive who understood the gravity of the situation. Zrinski lacks both the competence and temperance of the office- and it shows.
ReplyDeleteSiegel and Lehigh are all breathing a sigh of relief. Many laughed at their 16%. We have made him look like a tea party fiscal conservative in comparison. Congratulations Tara for giving cover to them.
ReplyDeleteThe single mom story is getting old. Much like Harris's little girl at the bus stop.
ReplyDeleteThere is a billion dollars in that pension fund. Tara should actually be taking money from the 60 million in retiree healthcare they’re never going to need. John Stoffa ended retiree healthcare in 2010. To put anymore money in that is literally throwing it away.
ReplyDeleteCounty budgets can and are manipulated to the point that comparing years becomes very complex. Games have bern played in the budget for years. Actual year end budgets are also manipulated. Trying to find what the money was used for is a huge task and takes a very skilled person to see where this manipulation occurred if its evident at all. Asking the right questions is important so thanks for starting that question. But honestly it will take someone very knowledgeable and at lot of hours to find the true story in that huge of a budget if it can be found at all. Asking for this type of increase is another example of county manipulation.
ReplyDeleteShes a disgrace, and should resign immediately!
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is Tara got screwed over by Brendan Dumbstane and Mary Alice Ferraro. They should be sacked immediately. They walked her right into this wall.
ReplyDeleteHow did her fiscal department hurt her? Please explain. She is the Executive and she proposes the budget, not them.
DeleteBottom line is property taxes are an unfair way to tax there is a nationwide project to get rid of the unfair way to tax We must all get behind this so we can stop these politicians from robbing the people,
DeleteProperty taxes aren’t going away. The so-called solutions are dodges to fool gullible voters.
DeleteA tax that contractually backs long-term debt can’t be eliminated because contracts can’t just be discarded.
Bernie, Thank you for your analysis.
ReplyDeleteThis all 100% Lamont McClure fault. His actions to try make it look like he is some kind of hero saving the county tax payer money but not raising the taxes over 7 years and then even dropping them one year put the county here. All those years of kicking the can down the roas was coming to an end and he jumped ship. Thinking he could win another election before this news happened. Well sorry you POS for putting county tax payers,county employees in this position.
ReplyDeleteThe only blame has to take responsibility for now is keeping him on the books. FIRE HIS ASS! Show the people of Northampton county he can't destroy us any more.
Every time this woman speaks, I cringe, since she obviously lacks the confidence and discipline needed for the job. She reminds me of a teenager talking about her first crush, than an adult tackling serious problems.
ReplyDeleteShe has very high confidence in her own abilities and is highly motivated. I’ll disagree with this assessment. Also, she can be very good with people one on one and I like her detailed reports. But her budget is not honest or transparent.
DeleteAnother slant - Tara is not smart enough to realize that she is not smart enough to be county executive. She doesn’t realize how stupid and full
Deleteof herself she is and she believes everyone should be as impressed with her as she is with herself. She probably still believes she was impressive when she yelled loudly through a bull horn several years ago during one of her campaigns. Until Tara is willing to admit her flaws and lack of intelligence to be county executive, you will have comments such as. “Nothing happens without me”.
For years you have made the mistake of underestimating her and for years, you’ve been wrong. Tara is certainly quite intelligent and has a drive that exceeds that of most of her enemies. This post is about the budget, not your disdain of her. Let’s talk about that. Yes, her presentation was poor and I believe she made a mistake in making her ask so unrealistic. But she is absolutely correct when she says a tax hike is needed.
DeleteI’ve been following her for years, I have good instincts about people. Problem is that you’ve been hoodwinked by her as well, Bernie.
DeleteI have followed her as well and am well aware of her flaws. Stupidity is not among them. Laziness is not among them. She has good and bad qualities, and I suggest you look at both. I have taken her to task many times but believe she really does have the best interests of the county in her heart. That goes a long way.
DeleteHer drive is about the next landing spot- she would never make it in the private sector. This is a common trait with our local reps- inferior people who burrow themselves into the system. i.e. Freeman, Boscola, Emrick, Flood and the list goes on & on. The last decent Reps. were Grucela & Scavello.
DeleteHer 1st strike was her horrendous response to the D.A.'s report, now this embarrassing display of incompetence. It's going to be a long 4 years, and I hope we survive.
ReplyDeleteI agree that her attack on the DA was misplaced, and that extends beyond the grand jury report to inference with his right to pay his staff as he sees fit so long as he stays within his budget and payscales
DeleteTime to reform tax system property taxes are unfair many people use road etc but pay no taxes very unfair must be change
ReplyDeletePoliticians have no common sense They have hurt the greatest country in world in reality we pay way too much tax all different ways social security, Medicare and property taxes should all be funded but we waste too much money on fraud, overseas and foolish spending
ReplyDeleteAt least at the Federal level millions and millions of dollars of fraud are being ended every month. Undeserving people are being taken off the recipient lists. This is all interconnected to problems seen in Northampton County.
DeleteNorthampton county is a mess and with the current political leaders it will only get worse.
ReplyDeleteI’ll say this, we all bang on Bernie, myself included at times. But this is a better explanation of what is going on in the county fiscally than any of these ppl on council, or Tara herself can explain lol. An elderly disbarred lawyer, these ppl should be ashamed of themselves. Thank you Bernie. We can have an adult discussion on what needs to be done and how to address it, but I think we can all agree 43% is ridiculous and unserious. How do you look the elderly homeowners in the eye after proposing this nonsense!
ReplyDeleteTara can’t stick to a script. It doesn’t help her presentations, which can come off as not serious.
ReplyDeleteSince we cannot recall her, we must boycott her She is no way a leader council must ignore her She wants to destroy all you seniors out there. Who pay property taxes.
ReplyDeleteTeam Tara rebranded herself as Team Scara just in time for Halloween. Council will push to drop to 13 mills and she'll take credit as a team player and fighter for the taxpayer. .
ReplyDeleteI’m not a Tara supporter. She’s spent years working on council or for the county, so she knows what’s been going on. Lamont didn’t want to raise taxes so as to be a hero for his next run. Tara went along with it, as did many of the other bobbleheads on council. As a Democrat, I like that we have a majority on council but I thoroughly dislike that few think for themselves. When Lori VH voted against Lamont, she felt the Alberta Clipper coming at her, but what we need are more Lori’s and zero kings of the bobble heads Ken Krafts. Surely we can find a few more like LVH who have the spine to stand up to the “boss.”
ReplyDeleteThere are three bobble heads -Kraft, Warren and Keegan. The rest think for themselves. They will never agree to this proposal., but they know the county needs more revenue.
DeleteKraft, Koo Koo Keegan, and Warren are the absolute worst possible members. Boulette pretends to be independent, but he has to return favor for his wife's job. I have faith in LVH ,Holland and Giovanni to at least put up a fight.
DeleteLet's not forget, she will propose a reassessment next year on top of whatever this increase will be! Agree, a tax increase was needed, but this just shows you how out of touch TZ is. Her presentation was terrible. Dressed sloppily. Late for start. Laughed inappropriately. And her bringing up being a woman? What was that about? We got what most of us expected.
ReplyDeleteA reassessment is sorely needed in Norco. It's been over 30 years since the last one. Unlike a nursing home or "continuum of care" it's a core function of county government.
DeleteMost things never change- she's still the immature adult screaming with the Bullhorn in front of the Bethlehem Post office 6 years ago. Being a County Executive is a serious position- it's not dress rehearsal for a higher office!
DeleteThis lady is not fit to lead she is a loon somehow the people of Northampton County must get rid of her in next 3 years she will destroy anything GOOD IN THE COUNTY.
ReplyDelete