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The way Luzerne County government is headed now, expenditures are projected to increase $12.8 million by 2019 to a new total of $139.6 million, a new five-year financial recovery plan says.Meanwhile, revenue would end up around $131.2 million in 2019, and that&#8217;s if the county does not restore a homestead tax break on primary residences and keeps using that $4.7 million annually for operating expenses, the plan says.The resulting 2019 deficit: $8.4 million.But the 253-page plan, completed by Public Financial Management, suggests dozens of changes that can be implemented to avoid this shortfall without a tax hike.&#8220;While it may be possible to avoid further property tax adjustments in the next few years as the county takes advantage of the revenue and expenditure initiatives in this plan, in the long run additional taxes will surely be necessary if the same level of service is to be provided,&#8221; it says.County taxes are 5.7456 mills, which equates to a payment of $575 on a property assessed at $100,000.A representative of the Harrisburg-based company is scheduled to brief county council members on the plan at Tuesday&#8217;s meeting. The plan has been posted on the council meeting agenda section of the county website at www.luzernecounty.org.Most of the five-year increase is due to wages and benefits, which are expected to rise from $62.5 million to $72.4 million during the period.However, the plan does not recommend additional staff cuts, aside from exploring the possibility of outsourcing some work, because the county has eliminated more than 200 positions since 2009.About half of the budget is spent on employee salaries and benefits, compared to 60 percent in 2009, the plan says.Among the plan recommendations:&#8226; Increase the current-year tax collection rateThe rate increased from 86.9 percent in 2010 to almost 92 percent in 2014, but a rate of 95 percent or more would bring the county more in line with peer counties statewide and maximize the county&#8217;s income from its &#8220;largest and most stable&#8221; revenue source.&#8226; Boost taxable assessed valueThe county has five full-time assessors to identify new construction, and one is on short-term disability leave. While few Pennsylvania counties meet the International Association of Assessing Officers recommendation of one staffer per 10,000 parcels, Luzerne County is at a level of one staffer per 33,000 parcels without one on leave. This is higher than the parcel count per assessor in Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Lancaster and Lehigh counties, which have a combined average of 16,657 parcels per staffer. The county is advised to implement a trial increase in the number of assessors and evaluate their effectiveness.The county also is exploring a long-promised plan to increase technology to more easily identify property additions and new construction.&#8226; Begin a payment in lieu of taxes programThe county received $696,000 in voluntary contributions from not-for-profit entities in 2013, but most &#8212; $550,000 &#8212; was from the Mohegan Sun Pocono casino in Plains Township, which is taxable but was lumped into the payments-in-lieu-of category due to a court-ordered agreement that expires the end of this year.The county has 8,446 tax-exempt parcels with a total assessed value of $2.7 billion, including medical-related facilities and colleges. The county would increase revenue by more than $500,000 over five years if tax-exempt entities paid 10-percent share of the current county tax rate.&#8226; Reduce the payment to elected tax collectors The payment for elected tax collectors will increase from $2 to $2.50 per bill in 2016. The county could save $495,000 over three years if the fee is reduced to $1.50 per bill when the agreement expires at the end of 2017.&#8226; Seek advertising revenueAs recommended in the last five-year plan, the county could generate an estimated $100,000 annually by allowing advertisement inside or outside county facilities.&#8226; Increase employee healthcare contributions County employee contributions to health benefits still &#8220;significantly&#8221; lag national public sector averages, and some union workers pay flat monthly amounts instead of percentages that can be increased as the overall costs of coverage rises. A conversion to the same percentage would save the county money, be easier to administer and be &#8220;more equitable across employees of different bargaining units.&#8221;&#8226; Eliminate one paid holiday County employees receive 12 paid holidays annually, compared to 11 for state employees. Eliminating one would save the county around $73,000 and increase productivity, though such a reduction must be negotiated with union workers.&#8226; Court and county technology upgradesClerk of court staffers still use hand-written disposition sheets for criminal proceedings instead of electronic alternatives, and the inability of various criminal justice information systems to &#8220;seamlessly communicate with each other limits operational efficiencies and increases costs, case processing time and the potential for errors.&#8221;&#8226; Target prison optionsThe plan also recommends evaluation of the way criminal charges are handled and processed to reduce the number of offenders lodged in the county prison awaiting adjudication. A reentry program also could allow more inmates to be released on probation or parole.Discussions about a new prison also should be revived because the layout of the aging, multi-story facility on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre requires higher staffing levels. The county&#8217;s average daily cost per inmate was $114.80 in 2013, which was higher than the $69.40 median average of all counties and $75.47 average among similarly sized third-class counties.The plan credits the county for several changes since 2009, including:&#8226; Securing an investment-grade credit rating and restructuring some high-interest, high-fee debt.&#8226; Privatizing operation of tax claim in 2010, which has &#8220;dramatically&#8221; increased back-tax collection.&#8226; Halting cash-advances on back taxes in 2013.&#8226; Ending dependence on one-time fixes.&#8226; Transferring van transportation services to the county transportation authority.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Jennifer Learn-Andesjandes@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County five-year financial recovery plan released