Luzerne County Government

January 16, 2010

Judges will try to cut budget

President judge said court is focusing heavily on ways to increase revenue as well.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Luzerne County judges will attempt to comply with the commissioners’ request to come up with $1.8 million in cuts or new revenue, county President Judge Thomas Burke said Friday.

Burke and fellow county Judge Joseph Augello met with Commissioners Thomas Cooney and Maryanne Petrilla to discuss cuts on Friday.

“It is a substantial gap, but we will look at it thoroughly,” Burke said.

Judges plan to provide an answer to the county administration by Wednesday, when judges meet as a group, he said.

Burke said he would be reviewing a pile of financial documents over the weekend.

Judges had originally conveyed the impression that the courts would not be able to meet the budget numbers.

There was talk in the commissioner administration that the courts would resort to litigation if commissioners stuck to the $1.8 million in court branch cuts passed in the budget.

Burke has also said the court cannot produce large spending reductions because “substantial” cuts were made in the courts last year. County judges had agreed to about $2 million in cuts in 2009 in addition to a $3 million reduction on placements for juvenile offenders.

Burke said Friday that the court is focusing heavily on ways to increase revenue, not just cuts. He said he can’t discuss specifics until next week.

Cooney and Petrilla passed a budget on Dec. 30 that raises taxes 10 percent and reduces the salary portion of most department budgets by 6.7 percent, or about $6 million. The new spending plan has not been implemented because it may be amended by Feb. 15.

Petrilla had proposed an 18.5 percent tax increase, but Cooney would only agree to the 10 percent hike. Judges appointed Cooney commissioner on Dec. 23 to replace Greg Skrepenak.

The $124.8 million budget increases taxes from 4.5347 to 4.9882 mills. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 in assessed property value. Under the new rate, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay $499 in county taxes, up from $453 under the 2009 rate.

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

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