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<p>LAFLIN &#8212; During the second reading of the borough&#8217;s 2017 proposed budget on Tuesday night, several Laflin residents spoke out, raising concerns about spending.</p><p>Many of the nearly 100 residents who filled the borough&#8217;s fire department hall for the council session questioned the council majority&#8217;s proposed tax increase of one-half mill, or a more than 20 percent bump. A mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.</p><p>Councilman Carl Yastremski, who did not vote to approve the second reading, spent about 20 minutes delineating possible reductions in the proposed 2017 budget. When he concluded, someone from the audience yelled, &#8220;How much would you save?&#8221;</p><p>Yastremski responded, &#8220;$122,921.&#8221;</p><p>Income and expenditures of the proposed budget total about $950,000.</p><p>Yastremski, who is an accountant, said he believed an increase in the borough&#8217;s real estate tax to fund the borough&#8217;s expenses was unnecessary.</p><p>&#8220;This (proposed) budget overestimates expenses and underestimates income,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You can&#8217;t have it both ways.&#8221;</p><p>Yastremski pointed out a projected increase of $2,000 for the cost of snow removal. He asked, &#8220;Why would we have an increase in cost of snow removal?&#8221;</p><p>Mayor Dorothy Yazurlo, who opened the meeting with a recitation of the month&#8217;s total of Pennsylvania State Police responses in Laflin, decried the loss of the borough&#8217;s police department in 2014.</p><p>Yazurlo told residents that there is a continuing need for a local police presence, with many residents recently compelled to wait up to an hour for a state police response to incidents such as an accident. &#8220;There needs to be a police report when these things happen,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But the state police, although they are doing their best, can&#8217;t get here that quick.&#8221;</p><p>Many in the audience questioned whether the real estate tax increase was aimed at building a reserve so the borough could re-establish the police department. Several members said that was not the reason for the reserve.</p><p>Yazurlo said she believed that regionalization was the wave of the future, with Jenkins Township initiating a discussion about the possibility.</p><p>&#8220;We can&#8217;t do that right now,&#8221; she said, &#8220;because we don&#8217;t have the money.&#8221;</p><p>Under the borough&#8217;s proposed budget for next year, the real estate tax paid on an average property would increase by about $87.</p><p>Chris Kopko told the council that although he might be able to afford the increase, other people couldn&#8217;t.</p><p>Tom Parry, a former councilman, told the council&#8217;s members, &#8220;I suggest that you sit down and hear what Carl has to say before the final vote.&#8221;</p><p>Although the five-person council did approve the second reading of the proposed budget, with only Yastremski voting &#8220;no,&#8221; they did promise those gathered that they would listen to Yastremski&#8217;s proposals.</p><p>&#8220;I really think they are going to listen,&#8221; Parry said later. &#8220;I&#8217;m hopeful.&#8221;</p><p>Council will meet later this month for a final reading of the budget. Under state law, Laflin&#8217;s budget needs to be finalized by Dec. 31.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Laflin Mayor Dorothy Yazurlo and council members faced a sometimes querulous crowd on Tuesday night, with several people questioning borough spending. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_TTL-12142016-laflin-2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Laflin Mayor Dorothy Yazurlo and council members faced a sometimes querulous crowd on Tuesday night, with several people questioning borough spending. </caption0><photoCredit0>Charlotte Bartizek | for Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_Laflin-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Laflin residents met in the fire hall this week to consider the borough&#8217;s proposed 2017 budget. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_Laflin-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Laflin residents met in the fire hall this week to consider the borough&#8217;s proposed 2017 budget. </caption1><photoCredit1>Charlotte Bartizek | for Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Laflin residents question council on potential tax increase and intended purpose of financial reserve