SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It's the decision many in Lackawanna County were hoping they wouldn't have to face: The 2025 budget includes a double-digit tax increase. The large hike was finalized on Wednesday.
Those in favor of the plan say it's an unfortunate but necessary step forward.
The new tax hike in Lackawanna County is 33%.
County commissioners who approved it say it's the first step in turning the financial condition of the county around.
For one Lackawanna County resident though, she says it will be an addition to what's already a struggle.
Deborah Pusateri has been a Lackawanna County resident her whole life and says it's already hard to afford living in the area.
"It's a struggle groceries have gone up. Everything's going up really," said Scranton resident Deborah Pusateri.
Now her county's tax rate will also go up by 33%.
After Wednesday, she says she is uncertain about her financial future.
"I think it's going to be stressful for a lot of people especially seniors and even people with kids," Pusateri explained.
"We feel bad for people that we have to do this but we don't have a choice," said Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan.
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The county's Democratic Majority Commissioners Bill Gaughan and Matt McGloin approved a $167,000,000 2025 budget during a meeting on Wednesday.
"We are just as frustrated in Lackawanna County because I have 5 small children. Commissioner McGloin has small children. Both of us have parents who are senior citizens so we get it," Gaughan stated.
The county faces a $28,000,000 structural deficit. Gaughan says the increase is to try to fix the county's financial struggles.
"The approach we took was we are going to start from scratch," said Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak.
Commissioner Chermak opposed the hike and instead proposed his own budget which would have raised taxes by roughly 6%.
Gaughan didn't see that as a realistic number and blamed the problem on the previous administration.
Pusateri was getting off of her work shift right before our interview and told me she planned on retiring soon.
"Do you feel this tax increase is going to put pressure on you to keep working?" 28/22 News Reporter Gianna Galli asked.
"Yes I think that's, will put more pressure on me to continue working until I can't anymore," Pusateri said.
This will mean there's a $250 increase a year on an average assessed property in Lackawanna County. For budgeting purposes, that's $25 a month.
