SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A new take on a controversial budget sparks tension in Lackawanna County.
28/22 News Reporter Amelia Sack attended Tuesday afternoon's revisional meeting held by the county's minority commissioner.
Lackawanna County's Commissioners and residents are at odds over proposed revisions to the 2025 budget.
"The budget that we proposed, it's an honest budget, it's a balanced budget. What he has proposed is full of lies and misinformation," said Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan.
Nearly two weeks ago, Democratic Majority Commissioners Matt McGloin and Gaughan introduced their budget for 2025.
It includes a proposed 33% property tax increase to try and reduce the nearly $30,000,000 deficit the county is currently facing.
Some residents say that number is just too high.
"I am a 60-year-old grandmother, I am retired, and so it would directly impact me. I'm on a fixed income. I don't have additional income that I could generate from going out and getting a second job," said Benton Township resident Susanne Green.
To further dig the county out of debt, the majority of commissioners proposed eliminating open job positions, as well as putting a freeze on wage increases for county employees.
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Minority Republican Commissioner Chris Chermak and his assembled bi-partisan group of volunteers presented their plan Tuesday afternoon.
"We have identified $9,700,000 in savings by eliminating funded, but unfilled, positions and making strategic cuts in departmental spending," Chermak explained.
Chermak says these revisions would lower the property tax increase to stand at 6.3%.
He'd also take the burden off taxpayers by changing the way the county can use its remaining $17,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
However, Gaughan says the math doesn't add up.
"So he's gonna use all this money that's not there what's he gonna do next year?" Gaughan stated.
He claims the county only has around $7,000,000 in ARPA funding left.
The commissioners need to finalize the budget by early December.
