County revenues down, but expenses under budget

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.comLuzerne County Reporter

Revenues were down 6 percent in Luzerne County government during the first three months of 2009, but it’s not causing problems because spending is 16 percent under budget, county Budget/Finance Chief Tom Pribula said during Thursday’s commissioner work session.

The county’s 2009 budget projected $25.5 million in revenue through March 31, and $23.9 million has come in, Pribula said in his first-quarter budget analysis.

A total $28.2 million was spent through the quarter, which is $5.4 million less than budgeted, he said.

The general fund operating budget will be infused with $17.9 million in bond borrowing. Commissioners already approved this borrowing as part of the budget, in large part to cover an unprecedented $11 million employee pension fund subsidy, Pribula said.

“The bond being issued later in the year is not a surprise or something that just popped up. It has been included in the ’09 budget from the beginning,” he said.

Property taxes, one of the county’s largest revenue sources, are exceeding projections, Pribula said. Current-year taxes are $900,000 over budgeted expectations, he said.

Both reimbursement and spending on juvenile placements is down because fewer juvenile offenders are being sent away for detention and treatment, Pribula said.

In other business, Plains Township Commissioner Ron Filippini presented a petition signed by more than 200 township residents protesting the lack of progress rebuilding the Cleveland Street Bridge, which collapsed in November 2006.

Filippini said senior citizens and students must walk a half-mile detour to access school buses and public transportation.

“That’s a dangerous situation and I think it’s gone on too far already,” he said.

County Engineer Joe Gibbons said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation controls the schedule for the bridge replacement. Bids were scheduled to be open in Harrisburg on Thursday, he said.

Property owners Walter Mitchell and Ed Chesnovitch urged commissioners to restore public access to the reassessment company’s online searchable database. The county canceled access last week, citing the cost.

Reassessment company 21st Century Appraisals Inc. charged $2,000 per month to provide the public database during reassessment, and a new price would have to be negotiated now that the reassessment contract has expired.

Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla said she will review the matter. County officials said the public may still access the site from courthouse assessor’s office computers.

In other business

Commissioners also discussed the following during Thursday’s work session:

• A request from the Sierra Club to participate in the “Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration,” an initiative to combat global warming. Lackawanna County has passed a resolution to participate in the program, which aims to reduce carbon emissions, in part by making buildings and vehicle fleets more energy efficient.

• A request from Earth Conservancy to extend Keystone Opportunity Zone tax breaks for several properties.

• Sell a county-owned vacant lot at 360 N. River St., Wilkes-Barre, for $45,000 to AIV, LLC, in Wilkes-Barre.

• Hire Rosen Real Estate Inc. for two years to provide general appraisal services. The business will be paid $300 to $750 for residential appraisals, $300 to $1,000 for agricultural appraisals and $1,000 to $5,000 for industrial, commercial and public appraisals.

• Hire Jones Kohanski & Co., LLP, for $75,500 to $85,500, to prepare the county’s 2008 audit. County audits were several years behind schedule, but officials say they have eliminated the backlog.