Luzerne County Government

December 12, 2009

County’s budget has deep cuts

Commissioners still can’t reach agreement on proposed 2010 pact.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
Jennifer Learn-Andes on Facebook   |   @TLJenLearnAndes on Twitter

The need for more deep cuts to get Luzerne County’s final 2010 budget passed should be a wake-up call for all county employees, Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla said Friday.

Minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban has said he won’t give the needed second vote without drastic reductions.

And if commissioners can’t reach an agreement on the budget and tax rate by the end of the year, the tax rate will automatically stay the same, leaving no options but slashing to close any remaining deficit, Petrilla said.

“What I’m really hoping for is departments to understand the seriousness of this and let us know where we can make cuts rather than forcing our hands,” Petrilla said.

“This is not just the commissioners’ problem. This is a countywide problem we all have to come together and get worked out.”

Commissioner Greg Skrepenak has said he made up his mind that he won’t vote for any tax increase.

Urban has said he doesn’t want a tax increase and won’t support the 18.5-percent increase now on the table. He said he’ll “vote to shut this place down Dec. 30” if the final budget doesn’t “make sense to me.”

Commissioners have latitude to cut 10 percent – or $12 million – from the $127.2 million proposed budget passed by Petrilla and Urban on Thursday.

Urban said he’s busy researching options.

“I’m willing to cut, and Commissioner Petrilla has to be willing to cut,” Urban said.

Petrilla said she’ll work wholeheartedly with other commissioners to get a budget without a tax increase but won’t support any unrealistic revenue.

“I truly don’t know what the other two commissioners think is going to happen,” Petrilla said. “I will cut everything we could possibly cut and would be in favor of it even though not popular, but at same time I’m realistic.”

The proposed budget already furloughs all employees for 12 days, closes county-owned Moon Lake Park and the recreation department and outsources the tax claim and environmental special projects departments. A total of 15 positions in these departments were eliminated under the plan, officials say.

Urban said he supports a 24-day furlough for all employees and expects court branches to agree to further staff reductions. He reminded that the state has not complied with a 1996 Supreme Court mandate to fund the courts.

“I think the courts had better start making their case to the state legislators if they can’t get funding for what they want instead of relying on county taxpayers to fill the gap,” Urban said.

County President Judge Chester Muroski, who retires Dec. 31, said he will discuss the proposed budget and 12-day furlough with other judges early next week.

The budget uncertainty created a sense of confusion in the courthouse Friday.

Union head Paula Schnelly said she was flooded with questions she can’t answer about the 12-day furlough and elimination of workers in tax claim, environmental special projects and at Moon Lake.

“Everybody thinks the union agreed to something, but we haven’t. Nothing is set in stone. The union has agreed to nothing at this point,” said Schnelly, who represents 540 members in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union.

Schnelly said the administration never informed the union that the outsourcing and department closures would be in the budget. AFSCME management will meet on Tuesday to “analyze this full situation,” she said.

Petrilla said the administration told union leaders that the 12-day furlough was likely and left it up to workers to decide whether they’d prefer taking unpaid holidays or staggering the scheduling of unpaid days. The administration will have to hold another meeting with the union to discuss implementation, she said.

Public requests are still being processed for companies to run tax claim and possibly take over Moon Lake operations so the park could remain open at no cost to the county, Petrilla said.

“They’re exploratory, but at the same time we had to get a budget out there,” Petrilla said.

County Controller-elect Walter Griffith said commissioners must get written guarantees from unions and row officers that the 12-day furlough will be honored if they plan to keep savings from that furlough in the budget.

Commissioners can’t arbitrarily reduce or increase row officer salaries, so row officers would have to agree to reimburse the counties for the 12 days of pay, he said. Griffith said he would be willing to reimburse the county, but some of the other row officers didn’t commit.

Register of Wills Dottie Stankovic and Clerk of Courts Bob Reilly said they’d have to review the matter and consult with other row officers.

Treasurer Mike Morreale said he would return 12 days of pay to the county if the furlough is implemented. While he doesn’t want county workers to lose this pay, Morreale said he’d rather a 12-day furlough than permanent staff cuts.

Moon Lake Director Clif Madrack said he and four other workers will lose their jobs if the park is closed.

“Needless to say we are terribly disappointed. It’s sad for all the fisherman, campers, bikers and guys who fly radio-control planes at the park,” Madrack said.

County Environment and Recreation Chief Andy Gegaris may also be out of a job because his recreation budget was reduced to nothing in the budget proposal.

“Obviously it’s a major disappointment. I’m a little optimistic that this is a working budget and not final and that we’d be able to maintain some services,” he said.

He oversees the county’s 35-acre recreation complex in Forty Fort, which includes seven soccer fields, three softball fields and picnic pavilions. The park will be closed unless another worker assumes those responsibilities.

Gegaris said he and some of the others who are slated to lose jobs have been devoted to improving recreational opportunities for the public.

“All county employees are painted with a broad brush as corrupt or criminal. These are some of the most professional and hardworking people I’ve ever worked with,” Gegaris said.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333

Tweet	Follow @TLnews