Everyone except Supervisor Rothermel accepted the administrations 2014 budget. Only Supervisor Rothermel had any ideas how to make things better for the people of Northampton. His cogent analysis and ideas forced a re-do of the budget after the meeting. The revised version of Bob Pellegrino’s budget is available on line and guess what we found? Some things are not what you think they are.
Northampton’s annual township budget process has gotten more difficult to review each year. This year is no different. The budget is supposed to provide information that helps a wide variety of people make decisions and answer myriad questions. Parts are extremely useful and parts are easily misunderstood. There are government agencies involved to try to clarify and explain the rather dense set of categories and numbers. Experienced users of budget information may not agree with many of the line items and the result is what you see may not be what you think it is. In the middle are the two Bob’s who are trying to avoid stepping in the bear traps being laid by those who want to destroy Supervisor Rothermel. Two of those bear trappers are Supervisors Silver and Komelasky. Komelasky admitted I was right when I brought it to the attention of the BoS that a 16% tax hike is proposed in the 2014 budget. Supervisor Komelasky had trouble knowing what the proposed motion was even though he has far more experience with Northampton Budgets than anyone else in Northampton. Supervisor Silver offered a cogent conclusion that the budget was a political budget. Perhaps who has some information along those lines but she offered none at the meeting. Maybe she will have a thought at the December 11th review but if history is a guide she will demand a tax increase. Where do these Liberal Republicans come from and how do they get elected?
Mr. “Please My Butt”, the guy who loves tarps for roofs, wanted to know the effects of not raising taxes on the indentures. No indenture information was mentioned. He must have heard from those voices that propel him.
Back to the 2014 budget. It’s not what it seems to be and no doubt more will be revealed on December 11th.
Views: 42