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WILKES-BARRE — City council showed its hand and residents Tuesday night spoke out against the property tax hike Mayor Tony George proposed in his amended version of this year’s budget.

None of the five council members supported the 25-mill increase George said was needed to make up for revenue shortfalls and expenses not included in the $51.5 million balanced budget in place from the previous office holder Tom Leighton.

Beth Gilbert, who replaced George on council to represent District C, encouraged him to prioritize spending to achieve his law and order agenda to turnaround the city.

“I think that just because we’re trying to improve the city doesn’t mean that the burden should fall on the taxpayers either. I think that a 25-mill increase for an average family is absolutely absurd,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert, one of three council members who were not in office when the budget was passed last year, drew applause from the audience of approximately 25 people who attended the special session on the amendments.

George presented his case and appeared before council for the first time this year after stating he would not attend public meetings in order to allow residents to discuss their concerns with council members.

“The new budget must be tailored to meet the goals that my administration as set forth to restore law and order,” the mayor said.

The existing budget did not include funding for vehicles for the police and public works departments and contained revenue projections that had no historical data to assure their accuracy, he said. He proposed reducing revenues and expenses by $519,308 and increasing the millage to raise approximately $1.9 million in revenues. The millage stands at 121.63 mills and has been unchanged for three years.

George, who voted against the budget last year, listed short-term goals of addressing issues of public safety and the city’s infrastructure of roadways in need of repair and flood control projects such as Solomon Creek. Long term focused on bolstering economic development, he said.

The former police chief characterized the city as having a “crime crisis” that is not only a problem in itself but also affects economic growth. “Simply put where crime prevails business fails,” George said.

He said he subscribed to the “broken window theory” to dealing with crime and blight to move the city forward. “We need to take care of the small problems before they become big problems,” he said.

But council members pushed back on his proposals. Council will vote on them at Thursday night’s regularly scheduled council meeting to meet the Feb. 15 deadline set in the city charter to amend the budget. If it opposes the mayor’s changes and does not make any changes, the existing budget will remain in place.

“We do not want to raise taxes,” said Councilman Mike Belusko.

The uncertainty of how much it would affect property owners further strengthened his stance.

When asked by Belusko what the average household would pay as a result of the increase, Brett Kittrick, city finance director, could not give a specific amount.

“It’s hard to say,” Kittrick responded. He said he looked at properties assessed at $60,000 and the amounts varied from $60 to $350.

A mill is $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value. The city uses it’s own assessments and council Chairman Bill Barrett encouraged the mayor to move toward adopting Luzerne County’s numbers arrived at from a reassessment in 2009. “It’s not fair to the residents not to do this,” Barrett said.

Councilman Tony Brooks, who along with Gilbert and Belusko are new to council, joined in the opposition to the tax hike.

“As I campaigned for this office I came across scores and scores, even hundreds I would say of senior citizens who felt trapped in their houses who are making $750 a month and they can’t afford the $5 a month we would pass on to them. And I feel that I really want to represent them to be a voice for them on this budget,” he said.

Vice Chairman Mike Merritt, who along with Barrett supported the budget last year, suggested George look at leasing the police vehicles rather than buying them. He also pushed for increasing the payment in lieu of taxes contributions from schools, churches and charitable organizations throughout the city.

“People shouldn’t have to shoulder that burden while on paper they’re nonprofit but they have jobs paying hundreds of thousands a year,” Merritt said. “I say we hit them hard before we hit the residents.”

Sam Troy, a critic of the former mayor Leighton, sympathized with George, saying he was “under the gun” because of the previous administration’s fiscal policies.

“I urge the mayor and council to consider another way out,” Troy said.

Wilkes-Barre resident Sam Troy, standing center, was one of several people opposed to a 25-mill property tax increase proposed by Mayor Tony George in his amended 2016 city budget.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL021016WBBUDGET1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre resident Sam Troy, standing center, was one of several people opposed to a 25-mill property tax increase proposed by Mayor Tony George in his amended 2016 city budget.

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George urged city council to increase property taxes and reduce revenues and expenses in order to balance the budget he inherited from his successor Tom Leighton.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_TTL021016WBBUDGET2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George urged city council to increase property taxes and reduce revenues and expenses in order to balance the budget he inherited from his successor Tom Leighton.
WB council members balk at proposed tax hike

By Jerry Lynott

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Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott