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‘Proud’ county honors Hazleton Little League Challenger team that played in LLWS

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WB officials push for quicker pace to finish North River Street work

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; With two-thirds of the year gone, the financial picture of the city is coming into better focus.</p><p>Some revenues will miss the mark, while others &#8212; such as the earned income tax &#8212; are on track to exceed their budgeted amounts, said city Administrator Ted Wampole.</p><p>The draft financial report for August listed revenues of $35.1 million and expenses of $24.7 million, leaving a $10.4 million balance through eight months of the year. The city is operating on a $49.4 million balanced general fund budget.</p><p>Wampole acknowledged the city &#8220;may not hit its goal&#8221; of $1 million in parking meter revenues. Through Aug. 31, meter revenue was $495,173, or 49.5 percent of the budget.</p><p>The city collected $176,003 more in fees compared to the same period last year, but it also doubled the hourly parking rate to $2.</p><p>The garbage bag program brought in $951,365 in revenues, or 58.3 percent of the $1.6 million budgeted for 2018. Wampole pointed out revenues were approximately $240,000, or one-third more than they were last year due to the higher fees for bags.</p><p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t forget we increased the cost by 30 percent,&#8221; Wampole said.</p><p>Building inspection permits for plumbing and electrical work were $230,000 ahead of last year. They raised $630,078 in revenues, or 87 percent of the $725,000 budgeted.</p><p>Earned income tax revenue has been a surprise too.</p><p>The city budgeted $13.1 million this year from the EIT. Through the end of August, it collected $9.9 million or approximately 76 percent of the total. Revenues are running $432,221 ahead of last year.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re extremely encouraged by that,&#8221; Wampole said. &#8220;That was something that was unexpected.&#8221;</p><p>Wampole attributed the increase to more people working at higher wages to pay the city&#8217;s 3 percent tax.</p><p>But not all the increases in the report were positive.</p><p>Firefighters&#8217; overtime totaled $106,256, or 212.5 percent of the $50,000 budgeted for the entire year.</p><p>Other overtime included:</p><p>&#8226; Ambulance services emergency: $12,328, or 154.1 percent of $8,000 budgeted.</p><p>&#8226; Waste collection: $109,884, or 146.5 percent of $75,000 budgeted.</p><p>&#8226; Waste collection double time: $4,539, or 113.5 percent of $4,000 budgeted.</p><p>&#8226; Waste collection special events double time: $23,074, or 153.8 percent of $15,000 budgeted.</p><p>&#8226; Hollenback Golf Course: $5,063, or 202.5 percent of $2,500 budgeted.</p><p>&#8226; Hollenback Golf Course double time: $1,165, or 233 percent of $500 budgeted.</p><p>Commingled recycling was listed as a revenue source, but will be an expense next year.</p><p>&#8220;The bottom has dropped out of the recycling market,&#8221; Wampole said.</p><p>The city won&#8217;t come close to the $10,000 in revenue it budgeted. Through August, it collected $0 and was $15,576 behind last year. Wampole said the city will budget $100,000 to dispose of the recycling in 2019 and other municipalities will be facing the same problem.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wampole </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Ted-Wampole.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wampole </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Earned income tax collections — and OT costs — up in WB’s August financial report draft