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Luzerne County’s no-tax-hike 2019 general fund operating budget ended up totaling $138.4 million, according to a newly released copy of the final plan.
That’s a reduction of $579,000 from this year’s budget, even though the plan absorbed a $4.26 million increase in debt repayments in 2019.
Debt costs are set to rise from $20.77 million to $25 million next year.
Refinancing had temporarily reduced the 2018 repayment. Under the refinancing, repayments will increase again to $26.1 million in 2020 and remain around that amount through 2028, culminating with a final bill of $11.1 million in 2029, officials have said.
The county has one remaining portion of outstanding debt that will be eligible for refinancing in 2019, county Manager C. David Pedri said at his recent annual public forum.
However, any savings from a refinancing would be wiped out if the county borrows again to fund a 911 emergency radio upgrade estimated at up to $20 million and possibly new voting machines, officials have said.
New borrowing would force council to decide if it wants to lock in higher repayments to keep the goal of getting out of debt in 2029, as opposed to extending payments beyond that year, said Pedri.
The administration and its 911 consultant will seek grants and savings to reduce the amount needed for the radio project.
“When I come to council, I want to make sure I turned over every stone of possible revenue for the project,” Pedri said at the forum.
Still rising
While council adopted the 2019 budget on Dec. 11, a copy wasn’t available until this week because the administration had to program the final figures.
The correctional services division — the top budgetary expense — received an allocation of $28.39 million in 2019, according to the final budget posted in the budget/finance section at www.luzernecounty.org.
Council reduced the administration’s original request for $174,279 more to run the Water Street prison and minimal offenders building on Reichard Street, both in Wilkes-Barre. The final allocation was an increase of $53,876 compared to this year.
Several other divisions received more but not as much as they had requested due to council cuts.
Their 2019 allocations and the amount of the increase compared to 2018:
• District Attorney’s Office, $4.57 million, or $148,750 more
• Budget/Finance Division (includes tax collection, property assessment and the treasurer’s office), $3.15 million, or $14,920 more
• Administrative Services (includes human resources, voter services, mapping/GIS, purchasing, information technology, licensing and liability/property insurance), $5.28 million, or $10,731 more
• Operational Services (includes planning/zoning, building/grounds, boiler plant, 911, emergency management, road/bridge and engineers), $4.8 million, or $278,714 more
• Judicial Services and Records (includes deeds, coroner, prothonotary, sheriff, security, clerk of courts and records storage), $4.83 million, or $182,318 more
• Public Defender’s Office, $2.57 million, or $22,890 more
• Controller’s Office, $273,180, or $1,498 more
Reduced earmarks
Council lowered the court system budget allocation to $18.8 million, or $267,720 less compared to 2018.
The court division covers administration, probation services, domestic relations and district courts.
Another reduction is in the law division, which includes the offices of solicitor and conflict counsel. The division was budgeted at $2.2 million, or $169,287 less, a comparison shows.
The 2019 budget for the human services division is $8.4 million, a reduction of $217,539. This covers veteran affairs and the county’s payments toward Children and Youth and other human services offices and management.
The budget contingency reserve also was cut to help cancel the administration’s proposed 3 percent tax hike. Budgeted at $4.48 million in 2018, the administration had suggested lowering the cushion to $1.05 million. Instead, the final budget cut the contingency to $461,217.