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By TOM OBRZUT; Times Leader Correspondent
Tuesday, December 08, 1992 Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Council president Carl Alber and Mayor Robert
Delescavage locked horns Monday over the township’s proposed 1993 budget.
The budget, which totals $1.4 million, holds the property tax at 25 mills.
A mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
Delescavage said the only difference between his budget and council’s is
that council transferred money he budgeted for employee raises into a Capital
Reserve Fund.
“I’m going to do the best to protect these people whether you like it or
not,” he said.
Alber said the township’s financial situation prompted the cuts.
“It’s the only thing we could cut,” he said.
Joseph Sakaduski, the township’s permit officer, saw his 1993 salary cut by
33.3 percent — from 15 to 10 percent of collected permit fees.
“You cut my salary and boosted the anticipated revenue I should bring in,”
he said.
As of Dec. 1, almost $28,000 in permit fees have been collected, Sakaduski
said. In 1993, council projects $30,000 in permit fees will be collected.
Zoning officer Mike Evans said his $500 raise, cut from $1,200, is
insufficient. He will earn $18,500 in 1993 under the council’s budget.
“I’m worth $1,200,” he said. “We’re going to bring in $50,000 this year.
Where would you be if we weren’t bringing in the revenue?”
Throughout the meeting, Delescavage kept making the point that the budget
was council’s, not his.
“Why use my figures? It’s your budget,” Delescavage said. “It’s the same
budget. All you did was cut the workers’ raises.”
Trying to drive that point home, he questioned council members on what
$23,900 budgeted for miscellaneous expenses was for.
After rustling through their papers for almost a minute, council members
had no answer.
Delescavage said the money will be used to purchase a new police cruiser.
Alber conceded that township employees could get the remainder of their
raises in June or July if anticipated 1993 revenues materialize.
TRIM HERE
The township’s 1993 budget will be adopted at 7 p.m. Dec. 15.