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HAZLETON — Hundreds of city residents turned out Tuesday night to send a message to council members: “We want more police.”
Interim police chief Jerry Speziale had invited residents, both personally and through social media, to attend.
An ordinance which contained amendments to the city’s budget suggested by incoming mayor Jeff Cusat and placed on the agenda by councilman Robert Gavio reflected a proposed .25 percent earned income tax increase to be used for the hiring of six police officers.
Resident Sylvia Thomas said she recently encountered a teenager who said the only thing she does is work and go to school.
“She said she was afraid to go out on the weekends,” said Thomas. “Are we taking away our young people’s time to be young, an opportunity they only have once?”
Thomas said she is willing to pay more taxes if it means a safer city.
Former police officer John Leonard said for several years after he returned from serving in the military in Iraq he found Hazleton to be frightening.
“I felt safer in a war zone than in the streets of the city,” he said.
Leonard said although he understands a tax increase will put an increased burden on taxpayers, it is a necessary decision for long-term success of the city.
“Choose a hard right over an easy wrong,” he said.
District Judge Joe Zola addressed council, describing the Hazleton Police Department as “one of the strongest” he has ever seen.
Still, he said, they put themselves in danger every day, he said of the officers.
“Even when they come to court, they are increasingly at risk,” he said. “We need more men; we need more equipment.”
Although council members Jean Mope, David Sosar, Jack Mundie and Grace Cuozzo questioned whether the increase is legal, the ordinance was eventually amended and approved on first reading.
Agreeing to a .21 percent increase, the council members said the increase in revenue could provide for two additional officers.
Still, questions remained as to the legality of the increase.
State regulations and a city ordinance seem to indicated the EIC, already at 1 percent, can only be raised for the purpose of pension funding.
Sosar approved the first reading of the budget with a “yes, but with conditions.”
Both Sosar and Mope said they will follow up with state agencies to find out if passage of the budget and taxing ordinances is legal.
A proposed increase in the city’s real estate tax failed because those bills have already been mailed.
City administrator Tom Pribula said the increase would have netted the city about $80,000 but resending the bills is not worth the confusion it would cause.
“Many of our residents are senior citizens and they pay their bills when they receive them,” he said. “We don’t want to confuse them.”
The deadline for the finalization of the budget is Feb. 15. A meeting scheduled for that date will determine whether the tax increase is approved.