The 2013 budget that the Lackawanna County commissioners must adopt by Dec. 1 is unlikely to differ greatly from the tentative $91.7 million spending plan the public got its first look at this week.
Democratic majority Commissioners Jim Wansacz and Corey O'Brien said Friday they expect no significant changes to the document in the wake of four hearings that produced little public opposition to the proposal in spite of a planned 4 percent property tax increase.
"I can't see any major revisions, but who knows what will happen in the next 40 days?" Mr. Wansacz said. "It's hard to have that crystal ball."
Under the proposed budget, the real estate tax rate would increase from 55 to 57.42 mills. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value, meaning the tax bill on a home assessed at the county average of $13,000 would increase from $715 to $746 annually.
The increase will generate $3.1 million in new revenue.
The administration will use $1.25 million to fund its economic development initiative, including financial incentives to encourage private-sector job creation.
The rest will help to offset more than $4.8 million in new expenses next year, including a $2 million-plus jump in health care costs and contractually obligated wage increases for employees and a $1 million fee related to the county's loss of its investment-grade bond rating.
At the same time, the commissioners plan to trim 25 to 30 positions from the county payroll, resulting in a savings of $1.2 million.
With the cutbacks, the burden for the financial challenges facing the county will not fall solely on the taxpayers, Mr. Wansacz said.
That may be part of the reason why so few members of the public turned out at this week's hearings to protest the proposed tax increase, Mr. O'Brien said.
"I think people realize we are doing the best we can. We have been dealt a hand of cards that is challenging. ... They can see that we are not asking them to foot the bill, to shoulder the entire burden," he said.
The majority commissioners said they will continue to look for ways to reduce spending in 2013.
At the suggestion of minority Commissioner Patrick O'Malley, administration officials plan to meet with Millennium Administrators Inc. to discuss possible health care savings.
In addition, residents who were unable to attend the hearings can still review the budget online at the county's website, www.lackawannacounty.org, and offer input. The commissioners will hold at least two regularly scheduled meetings before final adoption of the budget.
"We want to leave no stone unturned," Mr. O'Brien said.
Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com