Kevin Blaum Column

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and NEPA Garage Sales

Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and NEPA Cars for Sale

Pribula’s doing best he can in tough job Kevin blaum In the arena

Sunday February 05, 2012 | 12:00 AM

Kevin Blaum

TOM PRIBULA has a difficult job.

Appointed Luzerne County’s interim manager until permanent manager Robert Lawton takes over on Feb. 21, Pribula needs to pass a budget, keep the dome battened down and pray he never has to invoke Section 4.07-B, Paragraph 6 of the Home Rule Charter — declaring states of emergency.

Is there enough money in the phony budget submitted by the outgoing county commissioners, the same budget initially supported by the new council, or anywhere in county government to confront and successfully manage another disaster?

Does anyone know? Or is this budget process only about cutting and jitters over raising revenue to meet expenses? Never mind that it might be a county support beam Pribula and council are having hauled out to the Dumpster.

The home rule charter requires the county manager to produce a budget outlining for the people his fat-free priorities to keep the county safe, strong and solvent. A county manager, permanent or otherwise, has no greater responsibility.

One does not chop $680,000 out of the District Attorney’s Office and $4.5 million from the county court system and say: Go make safe the streets.

Neither should the county CEO ever suggest that a chief public defender, critical of cuts to his department that guarantees a constitutionally protected right, might be replaced by a new public defender with council confirmation if there’s a “lack of cooperation.’”

Luzerne County’s chief executive must explain to council and the people where he stands on funding each government compartment and why. Council may adopt the manager’s budget or approve an amended version. If altered significantly, the manager may in writing request that council “reconsider” its action and require the group to publicly re-vote the issue.

“Reconsideration” does not carry the weight of a veto. The charter does not give the manager the power to veto legislation. The will of council prevails. But forcing council to publicly re-vote an ordinance expresses the executive’s displeasure, clarifies policy differences between the independent branches of government, assigns responsibility and better informs the public.

It’s called checks and balances.

In three short weeks Pribula has produced three different budgets. In doing so, he has obscured his priorities. In an attempt to have council pass anything other than the hoax perpetrated by the three former commissioners, he confuses his constituents.

Even if not approved, a county manager must publicly present his priorities, his budget, ordinances and resolutions. Council members will then cast the yeas and nays, letting everyone know where they stand. But the manager is not the clerk of county council, an errand boy to be sent repeatedly back to the drawing board.

It is ironic that interim manager Pribula’s first budget might have been the most responsible, as it called for a tax increase of .185 of a mill and supposedly avoided any one-time fix. In an ideal setting, Pribula owed it to the people to stand his ground, argue for his original budget, strongly advocate saving the one-time fix and do what’s right for Luzerne County.

But time is running out, and this is a brand new government. If nothing is passed, the shameful budget of the former commissioners becomes effective in 10 days. Pribula has a difficult job.

Being “interim” anything is having one foot in the door and one not. It is a near impossible situation and in this instance the new council is hesitant to increase taxes even .124 of a mill. Unfortunately the sad legacy of the previous county administration requires it.

Luzerne County Interim Manager Tom Pribula has a difficult job; but he’s doing it well.