Sixty-five members of the county’s Republican committee presented Thursday a letter voicing their strong opposition to the proposed 18-percent property tax increase in the county’s $123.9 million 2022 budget.
The proposed budget, which was presented on Dec. 2 at the previous meeting of the commissioners, would include a .6 mill increase, meaning a homeowner next year would pay about $3.89 in property tax for every $1,000 of assessed value on their home, an increase of about 60¢ per $1,000 dollars.
Read More: County Commissioners will raise taxes to cover capital project, other rising costs
The tax increase would be used to pay for capital projects, including construction of a new 911 Center for the Department of Emergency Services, skyrocketing employee healthcare costs and salary increases, and the ongoing expenditure of $3 million annually to provide healthcare services at the county prison.
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The two-page letter, read by Dawn Blauch during public comment at the county commissioner’s bi-weekly meeting, was directed at the two Republicans who are commissioners: Chairman Robert Phillips and William Ames. Jo Ellen Litz, the Democratic commissioner, said during the 25-minute discussion that she had no comments to make since her name was not on the letter.
SEE THE FULL LETTER BELOW.
Blauch, who is also the director of the county’s Recorder of Deeds office, said this proposed tax increase, in addition to one implemented on Christmas Eve 2016, will cause members of our “Greatest Generation” to be taxed out of their homes should the increase come to fruition. She cited a “staggering 56 percent increase over the past five years should it (this budget) pass.”
“It is simply unconscionable for our Republican County Commissioners to consider a double-digit property tax increase in Lebanon County,” read Blauch. “In fact, it was the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who stated, ‘Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.’”
The letter asked the commissioners to “explore every possible alternative to raising taxes again during this difficult time,” and that the county has received “tens of millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funding.” Blauch reading the letter said that, “Perhaps a better use of that money would be to balance the general fund budget rather than financing expensive new multi-million-dollar projects. Indeed, our neighbors in Dauphin County have not seen a tax increase in over fifteen years, thanks to the fiscal stewardship of their Republican County Commissioners, proving there is a responsible way forward.”
Phillips reminded Blauch that her first budget as a public official and department head in the county courthouse went up by 110 percent in the general fund over the previous year.
“I think it is a little hypocritical of you to be here today and calling us out when you have not come to us with either a number you think that taxes should be raised or with what should be cut,” Phillips said. “The only two solutions are to reduce costs or to increase revenue.”
If considering a cut to services, Phillips asked Blauch what she would cut.
“If you look at the things we fund, would you defund the jail? You can’t do that. Stop paying for the court system? Stop answering 911 calls? I mean, these are all things we could do but wouldn’t do because we are responsible people,” said Phillips. “And I think it is just disingenuous for people – none of those folks that have signed onto that have approached me, either with a number that would be satisfactory to raise the taxes or a solution to what should be cut to get down to a balanced budget, which is also vital to a responsible Republican government.”
After saying he was shocked by the letter, Phillips asked the other commissioners if they would like to comment. Ames, who was not at the meeting since he has been diagnosed with COVID-19, lost his connection to the meeting during Phillips’ comments.
Blauch said Ames would respond the same as Phillips since she had already talked with him and his comments had been similar. Phillips replied that he didn’t want to make that assumption and would rather give Ames the opportunity to respond publicly.
After the connection was restored, Ames said he felt it was unfortunate that the committee members did not want to sit down and talk about the issue ahead of time.
“They’d rather have the big headline splash and, you know, make a big event here at the meeting and the media play,” said Ames via telephone. “I’m not sure that that’s the best way to accomplish what’s best for Lebanon County. I realize I haven’t always been on the money, spot on, with what people feel we need to do for Lebanon County but I believe this board and Commissioner Litz have done a good job of managing.”
Ames continued by saying comparing Lebanon County to Dauphin County was very unfair and that important details were left out of the letter, citing the millions of dollars Dauphin County receives from the Grantville-based casino while Lebanon County only receives $180,000.
“It’s an unfair tactic and we would have made much better progress if this had been done differently,” said Ames. “We have a responsibility to provide for the health and safety of the residents of Lebanon County. In reference to the vulnerable seniors, they are the most vulnerable too when it comes to public safety and (needing) 911 services.”
Chief clerk/county administrator Jamie Wogelmuth pointed out that Dauphin County’s $212 million general fund budget for 2022 is being funded, in part, by $26 million in cash that’s been infused into it.
“13 percent just to get it balanced – which they’ve been doing for years,” added Wolgemuth. “However, on the horizon, they have $42 million total left in cash. So, they have this year coming and a little bit of the next year and (then) they are going to be facing the same problem. All counties are facing the same problem.”
Wolgemuth said that Lebanon County funds social services and other agencies that, if profitable, would not be administered by the county.
“I will also use a Ronald Reagan quote which is, ‘If it’s in the Yellow Pages, government shouldn’t be doing it.’ You don’t find jails in the Yellow Pages. You don’t find 911 operations in the Yellow Pages. Those are things that governance must do, and they are expensive,” added Wolgemuth.
Philips noted that Dauphin County receives $13 million in revenue from the casino for its general fund while Lebanon County gets just under $200,000 annually. “If you turned that around, we’d be good stewards also without too much trouble,” added Phillips.
Litz asked for a clarification on monies that come to Lebanon County because she believed that the money received from the casino is actually earmarked for East Hanover Township. Wolgemuth said he believes those funds go directly to Ono Fire Department for fire protection services provided by the department to the casino.
The conversation turned to county staff members with Blauch noting that she has been working with fewer staff members in her department and that recording numbers are actually up compared to when the department had more staffers.
Phillips told Blauch that any staff cuts would go against current county recruitment efforts and that any potential cuts would only happen to half of the county’s employees since there are six unions that would not be involved in voluntary cuts imposed by the county.
“It’s not fair to half of our employees to take it all out on them because people want to raise issues of no tax increase,” said Phillips. “Life is not that simple. Peel back some of these layers and a lot of it is going to reflect on the services we provide.”
Blauch asked if other options had been looked at or if the plan the whole time was to raise taxes when preparing the budget for the coming year.
“Actually, last year would have been the year that we would have considered necessary to raise,” said Phillips. “We limped along one more year, but because of COVID, we didn’t want to impose on top of the uncertainty of all of that and in the middle of that, and that’s what got us another year.”
Wolgemuth and county commissioners had discussed the likelihood of an increase this year when finalizing the 2021 budget in December 2020.
Read More: County commissioners reveal proposed 2021 budget
Phillips cited rising prices and flat or declining funding as required by state and federal mandates as other factors squeezing county coffers.
Concerning using federal funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to fund the budget, Wolgemuth said federal guidelines are very specific to how those monies can be spent.
Wolgemuth said the county plans to use $18 million of the $26 million it will receive via ARPA for the new 911 center and the new radio system for emergency responders, both eligible expenses under the federal funding program.
The budget is available for public review and comment through next Wednesday with a special meeting of the county commissioners on Dec. 23 to adopt it.
In other county business, the commissioners:
- Renewed its audit contract with Boyer & Ritter LLC of Camp Hill.
- Agreed to participate in a class action lawsuit with the state against drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson as part of a nationwide opioid settlement.
- Heard a presentation concerning funding issues and rising costs at the Lebanon County Fire School.
- Modified the IP-Crossroad Grant with the county’s probation department for FY 2021-2022.
- Received an update from a Fort Indiantown Gap representative on current and future projects to occur at the military installation.
- Recognized with a citation Dean L. Mease, who is retiring from the Area Agency on Aging after 37 years of distinguished service.
- Approved the December 2 meeting minutes.
GOP Letter (PDF)
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Editor’s Note: The original headline produced for this post described Thursday’s move as a “sneak attack,” however we have removed the phrasing for the time being as the surprise nature of Thursday’s activities are unclear at this time.