Frankly, I was somewhat surprised when I learned the news early Sunday morning. I expected that O'Connell would allow council to prevail, providing everybody a little political cover. After the vote O'Connell told the Morning Call's Emily Opilo...
“I feel in my heart and in my head that what I did was financially responsible for the city of Allentown and its residents,” he said. “If this comes back to bite me and I don’t get re-elected, so be it. I will fight for the residents of Allentown.”
In reality, the alternative budgets treated the taxpayers about the same. O'Connell's budget will increase taxes 27%, while council's version shaved that down to 22%.
If O'Connell survives the next Democratic primary his action Saturday night was a profile in courage. You can bet on the fact that his tax increase will be his opponents' campaign theme.
Morning Call file photo
ADDENDUM: Only after I publish a blog post, do I scout around the main and alternative media to see how others may have treated the same topic. O'Connell's budget certainly will be ammunition for his opponents, and those already supporting them. I do not believe that the budget system or charter needs fixing. That charge is always levied when people are unhappy with a result. On the contrary, a budget going down to the wire, or any decision using every charter redress, demonstrates that the system is working.
Profile in courage? Really? it is instead a profile in budgeting ineptitude, no cuts, pay increases for city employees and four new IT positions for a service that well run municipalities have out sourced for years now. And arrogance to claim he did this for the people of Allentown. Bull! he just doesn't have the guts to make tough choices. Allentown tax payers are going to be getting a one two tax punch for years to come from both the city and the school district, funny how the current mayor had a hand in both.Real funny. Ineptitude and arrogance with both.
ReplyDeletescott, although we don't agree on our assessment, i'm glad that a different viewpoint, signed by name, can be shared in the comment section.
ReplyDeleteProfile in courage???
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that the Republicans simply NEVER EVER let Democrats raise taxes. It is ALWAYS the Republicans' fault, of course. Each and every time, as each and everyone in any self-respecting one-party town could easily explain.
Allentown HAS the 'Big Government' its extremely well informed Citizenry voted for. So, congratulations to all who made it happen. And, please enjoy.
Sincerely,
ROLF OELER
I always appreciate your point of view and enjoy our exchanges.
ReplyDeleteA profile in courage this was not. More like a profile in arrogance and stupidity.
ReplyDeleteAs you note, both budgets treated the taxpayers about the same. So why would O'Connell dig in and stick it to the taxpayers instead of providing SOME relief? Surely he could have had his department heads find a little bit of saving during the year to cover the lower amount of tax hike. But it seems as though O'Connell has asked for little to no fiscal discipline from anyone in City Hall, which continues a decade long trend.
In addition, because of O'Connell's veto the BUDGET passed by default. However, the TAX HIKE was not approved by five members of council, as required by the Home Rule Charter. So I would say O'Connell may have gotten his budget, but does not have the legal approval to fully fund it.
Had O'Connell gone with Council's slightly modified version, it would have come with the 5 votes needed. I can only hope that someone takes the time and effort to fund a legal challenge to the tax hike.
On that note, it will be interesting to see if Council itself would challenge the tax hike in court. Five of them were SUPPOSEDLY against the O'Connell's tax hike and on the side of the taxpayers. If that is actually true and not just political posturing, they now have the perfect way to prove it.
Also, I disagree about the need to change the budget system.
ReplyDeleteThe timing of the budget needs to be changed. "Sixty days prior to the ensuing fiscal year", which is the beginning of November, is far too late for any mayor to be presenting a budget the size of Allentown. It does not give sufficient time for Council, and more importantly the public, to review and (if necessary) change the budget.
In addition, unscrupulous mayors (looking at you Pawlowski) have put off presenting the budgets in election years to prevent voters from seeing what's in it. Also, unscrupulous (and incompetent) mayors (looking at you O'Connell) have put off presenting the budget until the deadline and then try to act like bystanders and say the process needs to be changed, knowing that they control the process and could do it voluntarily.
I think the submission date (to Council and the public) should be moved up to September 30th, and the approval should be required by November 30th.
I also think the default provision should be clarified to prevent unscrupulous solicitors of unscrupulous mayors from contorting the charter to read that a tax hike can occur by default. That is clearly not allowed by the current charter, unless you're an unscrupulous politician (mayor and council). Clarification would stop that abuse in the future and avoid costly legal actions.
City Council President MacLean was the person that put the residents of Allentown in this position. IF he would have supported the amendments offered by Councilmen Hendricks, Guridy, and Zucal the week before and vetoed the budget it would not have come down to a Saturday midnight deadline. Place ineptitude where it belongs- Council President MacLean!
ReplyDeleteIs Lisa running for mayor?
ReplyDelete