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Dear Editor:

The people of Lackawanna County should be aware of the ramifications of Act 32 of 2008 which consolidates the collection of the earned income tax, the first step in the elimination of local government decision making, and eventually our borough and township governments.

Several weeks ago, Governor Rendell called for the consolidation of school districts, and on April 29, it was announced that a commission to study how to consolidate the 500 school districts was formed to report in two years.

I do not believe that consolidation is an answer to perceived problems facing our communities today. In fact it could exacerbate the problem by concentrating power into fewer hands. It moves government away from the people, not closer to them.

A good example for the people to learn about the effects of consolidation is to follow the mangled administration of the Scranton Single Tax Office. It is somewhat ironic that this situation coincides with the state government’s consolidation of the earned income tax collectors. But Act 32 should be a wakeup call for those that want to keep decision making at the local levels of government.

Even if a township, borough, or school district already has an efficient and cost effective method for collection of the wage tax, Act 32 mandates that these local governments surrender their decision making and join a countywide Tax Collection Committee. This TCC has the power to appoint a director, hire employees, obtain legal council and auditors, acquire by purchase, lease or rent real and personal property, borrow money and incur debt. In short, this is a recipe for a bureaucratic disaster.

What is even more unsettling about Act 32 is that each community and school district must select a delegate to the TCC, but each vote will be weighted based 50% on population and 50% of EIT revenues. This inequity will render the smaller governments to be a mere doormat for the larger city government.

To date, the Boroughs of Mayfield, Moosic, Taylor, Jermyn, Olyphant, and Clarks Green, the Townships of Abington, Glenbrook, and La Plume and the Lakeland School District have passed a Resolution asking the Legislature to amend Act 32 to allow each governmental unit to “opt in or opt out” of this consolidation. I trust the people to know what is in their best interests.

Alexander J. Chelik

Mayor, Borough of Mayfield