LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — The Lackawanna County Commissioners heard from the public Tuesday at the first of four public hearings scheduled to discuss the proposal of a nearly 33% property tax increase.
Concerns ranged from how the tax increase would affect small businesses.
"There's nothing left for the small businesses; we can't compete with the big companies; we have to find another way to do it," said Romayne Roman, Peckville.
How it would affect people who recently bought homes.
"Part of what went into my purchase was the taxes, obviously understanding that they go up like 3%, but the 33 is not really something I had allocated in my budget," said Miranda Pace, Old Forge.
And how it would affect those living on a fixed income.
"People that are on Social Security, that are going to lose their houses. It's a sad situation, so you gotta think out of the box," said Joe Tutino, Old Forge.
Majority Commissioners Bill Gaughan and Matt McGloin say the increase is the only way the county will recover from past financial mistakes.
"We did not want to have to do this, but it is something that has to be done due to the failures of past administrations and kicking the can down the road. We're simply at a dead end," said Bill Gaughan, Lackawanna County Commissioner.
Republican Minority Commissioner Chris Chermak did not attend the meeting but instead waited outside in the hall to express his disagreement, "What the county needs to do is get their spending under control every year we go through a budget process, every year a budget gets passed, and every year they outspend the budget, so they need to get that under control," he said.
The next public hearing will be held on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Waverly Community House.