The Spending in Northampton is Too Damn high.
The 2011 budget for $26 Million (does not include the spending at the Water and Sewer Authority for which the township is financially responsible according the their auditors), was touted and sold to the unwary Board of Supervisors on the basis of no tax increase but it should have been cut sufficiently to completely eliminate Township Real Estate Taxes while expanding services. The path to eliminate the RET would include: running the fund balances down; selling off un-needed inventory and properties, privatizing more township benefits and getting the Water and Sewer Authority spending under better control. All possible but not even discussed by the sclerotic supervisors.
At the Dec. 8 public meeting in response to my report about Schedule Q, the Insurance spending, the Board admitted to an $80,000 “mistake” in the spending for 2010 – but the money was actually spent. There’s no way to correct that mistake. The $80,000 is mysteriously gone but not explained.
In addition to mis-managing the township, the 2010 budget was at least 25% overspent. That’s intolerable. Even worse, the overspent 2010 budget was used as the phony basis for the lavish 2011 budget which is rife with over-estimates because it started with the 25% too high spending in 2010. Disgraceful failure to lead.
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