Parts of Scranton's proposed $109.7 million budget for 2013 were panned Monday by a few of the residents who spoke at a public hearing.
The council hearing drew eight residents, six of whom spoke, and eight members of the media.
Read the proposed 2013 budget HERE
Residents' concerns included various tax hikes, including a 12 percent property tax increase and the reviving of a long-dormant commuter tax, as well as the city's steep hike in borrowing.
Resident Marie Schumacher said various revenue figures throughout the budget appear to be inflated and unrealistic. "The bottom line on revenue, I believe, is it's significantly overstated," Ms. Schumacher said.
Resident Tom Ungvarsky expressed concern about the budget's "tremendous increase" from the $85.3 million budget of 2012.
Raises ranging from 19 to 33 percent for six employees, including council and administration solicitors, fire chief, business administrator and two administrative employees, also drew mixed reactions.
Resident Bill Jackowitz was flabbergasted the administration and council could consider such raises only a few months after the city nearly went broke and the mayor slashed salaries to minimum wages, and when the city still needs to borrow millions to stay afloat.
"I must ask, how can this be?" Mr. Jackowitz said of the raises. Noting the city has been designated as financially distressed under state Act 47 since 1992, Mr. Jackowitz also said the city should not be seeking a commuter tax to bail out the city and needs to make hard decisions. Speaking before the hearing, council President Janet Evans said it is likely that council, during a second reading of the budget on Thursday, will offer amendments to eliminate at least some of the raises, but she was not more specific. A third reading and vote on adoption is set for Dec. 13.
Resident Lee Morgan also said he opposes a commuter tax and called more borrowing a "solution for failure."
"The city continues to slide in reverse further and further into debt," Mr. Morgan said. "The only real option, in my opinion, is bankruptcy."
Resident Doug Miller said a pay raise for council solicitor Boyd Hughes is warranted. And in defending a plan to take over from towing firms the storage of towed and abandoned vehicles that has been budgeted to raise $300,000 in new revenue next year, Mr. Miller said, "It's about being creative and that's what this is."
Resident Dave Dobrzyn expressed concern for the towing firms and also asked about landfill fees, debt and pensions.
Regarding the towing storage-lot issue, Mrs. Evans said another option proposed by police is possibly having both towing and storage put out to bid to have one firm handle the entire operation, and that police believe this may be the "optimal solution."
Council members also verbally sparred over Mr. Rogan's previous comments on the six raises and the budget. In a tweet on Nov. 21, Mr. Rogan called the raises "insane" and said he would seek to eliminate them. In a Nov. 28 article in The Times-Tribune, Mr. Rogan said the budget was a "done deal" between Mrs. Evans, council Finance Chairman Frank Joyce and Mayor Chris Doherty and had been printed by the time Mr. Rogan was asked by the council leaders to provide his input.
Mrs. Evans chastised Mr. Rogan for "operating in the twittersphere" and not taking the opportunity to participate in the budget. She and Mr. Joyce said a draft budget was printed by the city's Information Technology Department and was by no means a final budget.
Councilman Jack Loscombe also attended the hearing, while Councilman Bob McGoff was absent.
Contact the writer: jlockwood@timesshamrock.com