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Pocono News Section
New Luzerne County Budget Means 10% Tax Hike
New Luzerne County Budget Means 10% Tax Hike - Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 6:00PM EST
Reported by: Mike Trim
Thursday, Dec 31, 2009 @ 06:00pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY -- Luzerne County approved its 2010 budget Thursday. Taxpayers will see a 10% tax increase beginning next year. And it didn't come as good news to the packed meeting room.
As your about to see, many people sounded off when they heard about this tax hike. But commissioners say it's the only way to help the crawl out of debt.
A 10% tax increase in Luzerne County's 2010 budget isn't what many at this commissioners meeting wanted to hear.
Michelle Boice of Harveys Lake said, "You have a lot of nerve coming back to the people for one more penny. I am strongly opposed to any new tax increase."
Lorraine Hill of Larksville added, "You're saying you're making the hard decisions, you're not making the decisions, not you. You have it easy, layoff people. You don't have to have all these people around."
The 124.8 million dollar spending plan was approved two votes to one Thursday. Some here don't support the budget, saying they have no faith in county government after a widespread federal corruption probe.
George Race of Exeter said, "Rather than force taxpayers to cough up more money to finance the most corrupt county in the United States I suggest the commissioners balance the budget entirely with budget cuts."
More cuts are looming says Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla, with possible county layoffs early next year. Commissioners say years of bad budgeting led to the 2010 tax hike.
Commissioner Stephen Urban says he can understand the frustration. "It's their government. We need to make the adjustments here in the county to try to eliminate the tax increase and that's why I did not support the tax increase," he said.
But the budget did pass, in hopes to erase a 17 million dollar county debt. | | |
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