Public gives high marks to proposed Delco budget
Although no voices were raised during the public comment section of Delaware County’s budget presentation, the public didn’t hold back its voices on Facebook, where 26 comments were overwhelmingly positive about the $355 million spending package that calls for no tax increase.
Marie Vincent Turnbull of Springfield and Joan Wilhelm Mitchell were among the most verbal, applauding county officials for their work on the budget proposal that includes no new tax increases for county residents next year.
“I think county council has done an admirable job in this most difficult of years,” Turnbull said. “I appreciate the effort that has been put into audits and (Requests for Proposals) in attempts to improve fiscal management.”
She added that county Executive Director Howard Lazarus’s recap was very helpful.
Mitchell added, “You may be surprised to find out that there’s not a lot to complain about. This is hard work ... Thank you for your service Not an easy job.”
Added Susan Duncan, “Great work! ... I am so grateful for all the work done by county council and your continual communications and efforts to be transparent.”
Some commenters spoke to the level of operating costs.
“Unfortunately, operating cost(s) would not be way down because the pandemic has added additional costs to running government facilities as well as this being a presidential election year with a variety of ballots to count and added expenses associated with the election,” Ann Elise Catherine McLaughlin of Media said.
Bob Grier of West Chester offered his two cents. “Operating cost(s) should be way down - should be tax reduction.”
One voiced appreciation for the county’s investment in the “Green Fleet” electric vehicles.
“Hurray on the green initiatives!” Cathy Chesser Wilt said.
And, there was also talk about the high costs of benefits, in particular to retirees as the county’s em
ployee fringe benefits increased 36.6 percent from 2019 to the 2021 budget proposal from $39.9 million to $54.6 million.
W hile Mitchell said, “Most business are struggling with benefits increase as well,” others presented different comments on the issue.
A commenter who identified as Bakyah Rooster wrote, “YES! Thank you Councilwoman Christine! I grew up in a state with inflated retiree pensions and
as a younger generation, establishing my career, it is upsetting to see retired folks get paid more than those of us starting off. Who are doing the (every growing bureaucratic) work. I think it’s powerful, though not easy, to make that decision and have that conversation so I appreciate that!”
At the end of the presentation, Councilwoman Christine Reuther offered words of caution about this particular cost.
“Your budget
is really a
proof of your values as a governing council,” she said. “I think we have had to this year, operate, largely from the position of necessity as opposed to strategy ... Council’s going to be called upon to make decisions going into next year’s budget in particular that are really focused on priorities and not necessity. I think we ought to have an ongoing conversation about them.”
Among those conversations, she said, should be the retiree benefit situation.
“A continued vigilance to make sure that we are providing the services that people rely on in the Human Services category,
“I think we all need to keep that in mind as we move forward and understand that we are focusing our values when we allocate dollars that we raise through our taxes and keep that in mind as we make decisions including decisions about benefits on a going forward,” Reuther said. “This is not sustainable - a 30 percent increase, as much as I love our employees, they have been above and beyond in every possible way but we’ve got to take a look at those retiree benefits because the retirees who deserve our gratitude for the years they’ve worked for the county, they’re not here doing the work right now and we’ve got to focus on the services that have to be delivered. We can’t continue to ramp that up by 30 percent a year.”
The final reading and vote on the 2021 county budget will be during county council’s Wednesday, Dec. 16 meeting at 6 p.m. It is live-streamed via the website at delcopa.org and on their Facebook page.