SCRANTON, Pa. — Tensions were high moments after Lackawanna County Republican minority Commissioner Chris Chermak presented his new budget proposal at the Electric City Trolley Museum on Tuesday.
"I'm shocked this thing wasn't written with a crayon," said Matt McGloin, Lackawanna Majority Commissioner.
Under Chermak's proposal, property taxes would only be increased by 6.3% compared to the Democratic majority commissioners' 33% proposal.
"We've identified, there's more than this, but identified $17 million in unused ARPA funds, we're putting that to work," said Commissioner Chermak.
Majority Commissioner Bill Gaughan says using the money Chermak is referring to will only hurt the county, "There are different things that the county before we got here, put that money aside for, projects that are ongoing that are necessary for the infrastructure of Lackawanna County. So he is totally incorrect in that," he said.
But Chermak is confident his proposal is for the good of the taxpayers in Lackawanna County, "People can't afford it, people on fixed incomes can't afford it, the elderly can't afford it, costs are skyrocketing, the last thing we need now is a 33% tax increase," he said.
And some in the audience agree.
"It would impact me dramatically; I mean, anyone who has expenses going up 33% in one year can certainly recognize that this is going to have an extreme impact," said Susanne Green, Benton Township.
However, Commissioner Gaughan maintains that Commissioner Chermak's proposal is not viable, "We have financial experts who have looked at our budget for the last 8-10 months and have guided us to this point to tell us this how you get Lackawanna County out of the red and into the black and Commissioner Chermak ignored everything they told us to do," he explained.
The final hearing, where members of the public can express their opinions about the budget proposal for next year, will be held at noon Wednesday at the commissioners' conference room in Scranton.