Luzerne County 2016 budget still a work in progress

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Jesse Con-ui, accused of killing a corrections officer, would plead guilty if death penalty dropped

ASHLEY &#8212; The borough council rejected the second reading of the proposed 2016 budget at a special council meeting Tuesday night.The proposed budget had a $17,556.66 deficit.Councilman Joe Gorham went on record and added a tax increase of one mill after Councilwoman Sharon Keefe mentioned she didn&#8217;t know if a budget could or would be balanced unless the Ehrlich property was taken care of. Rent and taxes from the Ehrlich property are still in the air for 2016 as tenants are still using the property. Council bought the property to be used for the borough building.A mills is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed property value.Voting to pass the budget with the tax increase were council members Gorham, Keefe and Donald Sipple, council chair. Voting against the budget with the increase were Frank Sorokatch, council vice chair; Gerald Maldanado and Joseph McGlynn Jr.&#8220;I vote no to the tax increase,&#8221; Mayor David Evans said as he gave the tie-breaking &#8220;no&#8221; vote.After the no vote went through, Gorham told those in attendance that he would &#8220;rather keep the money in the borough than give the money to those who already have money,&#8221; because the borough would have to apply for a loan or bond to cover the deficit.In other business, the council:&#8226; Approved the borough bills for November 2015 at a price of $56,259.36. Sipple explained to those in attendance the reason for the high amount was that the borough had to pay Shea Construction for the demolition of the Mary Street project, which came in at $29,000.&#8226; Approved the borough payroll for November 2015 at $30,922.69.&#8226; Approved Solicitor William E. Vinsko Jr. to up the gigabyte size of the borough website, AshleyPA.net. The new cost per month will be $25.99, up from the original $5.99* Tabled ordinances 3 and 4 of 2015 &#8212; which prohibits recreational and commercial vehicles from parking on streets, sidewalks and easement areas and establishing sewer connection requirements, uses and rates &#8212; which held public outcry at the confusing language of the amendments. Council agreed to take a more in-depth look at ordinance.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Melanie Mizenkommizenko@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>What&#8217;s nextThe Ashley Borough Council regular meeting, which will include a third reading of the proposed budget, will be held 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Ashley Fireman&#8217;s Park, 160 Ashley St.</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</shirttailMeta></div>

Ashley Borough Council votes no on second budget reading