Mayor Matt Tuerk kicked off his 2025 mayoral campaign with an announcement that there would be no tax increase for 2025. Considering his administration's plumpness and agenda, the reason can only be pure politics. It is intended to take the wind out of any potential adversary's campaign.
Tuerk is providing no details on how his fat ship runs with no increase. Will he be leaving vacant slots open? Some of the positions in Tuerk's administration I have no use for. It's no reflection on the person, just the position. As I have written before, if mayor for life Daddona didn't have the position in his administration, you don't need it. The news about declining crime rates is also nonsense. By my scorebook we need more policemen, but with no tax increase apparently that isn't in the cards.
Could Tuerk be planning on diverting Community Block Grant funds to the city's infrastructure, freeing up more for public safety? I jest, Tuerk counts on those non-profits to hustle votes for him. I don't know what else Tuerk will be promising, but I do know that much of it will be in Spanish.
Whole the no tax hike budget might be intended to take the wind out of any potential adversary's campaign, those sails were quickly refilled when council approved the Mayor's new trash contract with a 78% tax hike built into it (including 46% in Year 1).
ReplyDeleteSpecial thanks to the usual flip-floppers on Council (Affa, Mota), who just last meeting helped to vote the trash hike down. They joined the mayor's reliable rubber stamps/enablers (Napoli and Hendricks; who seldom have an original thought between them) in voting against the taxpayers.
Back to Tuerk:
While the trash fee is separately stated on the tax bill, few will make that distinction and will only remember that they paid more. They'll also be reminded that Tuerk once again failed to control costs or think of a creative way to re-bid the contract that would result in a lower cost to taxpayers.
There is also evidence that the Mayors Spanish schtick is wearing thin in the city, and not just on this blog. As quoted the WFMZ article on the trash hike, Karen Ocasio said "You can't just concern yourself with what happens to the Hispanic community during election, say three words in Spanish, and then be like, 'Hey, give me your vote.'"
Matt's claim crime is down in the city by citing debunked FBI crime stats( who really trusts that bureau anymore) just diminishes his credibility further. Trust no politician is a good rule of thumb, it certainly applies here. The question now is how untrustworthy is he?
ReplyDeleteI fully support the new trash contract, the City benefitted from the last contract greatly over the past few years and changes in the waste hauling industry have caused the prices to increase for everyone. Allentown should be damn glad Mascaro kept the offer on the table, what would they have done otherwise? My guess is that the property transfer tax will be defeated, Tuerk will get elected and will need a 15% tax increase in 2025 just to stay solvent. His claims of responsible spending and cutting services is laughable. I will not be surprised if he tries to raise the EIT which residents of Allentown already pay double the rate of suburban municipalities. The EIT in Allentown is 2% but Chester and Philadelphia charge 3.75%! In any event these possible tax increases will further drive the working class homeowners out of the city and Allentown's percentage of rental occupied housing will continue to increase.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see questions asked about why we still have separate collections for "recyclables" that no longer earn the city money and might not even be getting recycled.
DeleteAlso, I believe Bethlehem still allows residences to contract with their own trash haulers, and somehow it seems to work there.
Finally, how many haulers responded to the bid? Maybe the requirements were too strictly written.
Point is, I think there were a lot of ideas that could have been looked at.
I don't believe he can raise the EIT without a charter amendment. It's only at 2% because we're a "distressed city" under state law, and that allowed the tax to move from 1%. I don't think it can go further solely on action from the city.
DeleteAnon 10:43: You're probably right, he would have raised it already if it was possible.
DeleteThe "separate" collection for recyclables is a joke... I and my neighbors have witnessed everything going into one packer on multiple occasions... but WE MUST recycle or get fined...??? Bring back the incinerator with updated exhaust scrubbers. Several problems solved!!!
DeleteThere are so many made of non-factual articles being put out lately. CRIME is not down. Shortly after the Mayor’s article came out 12 hours later another shooting happened 1/2 block away from the newly dedicated Stephen's playground. Yesterday around 3PM a daylight stabbing. Eight people shot on a Sunday afternoon does not equal crime down. Regarding no tax increase in 2025 will be quite interesting to see how that was accomplished without taking from the unappreciated balance. Remember six weeks ago we had a 6 million dollar deficit. Can't wait to see that accounting process. By the way motorboats don't have sails!
ReplyDeleteDon't trust Siri. Unappropriated Balance.
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