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‘The democratic process prevailed,’ Wilkes U. president says

WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The drop in the city&rsquo;s general fund budget balance continued in November with it falling below the $1 million mark.
				Mayor George Brown Thursday said he expects it to plummet further to a more than $4 million shortfall, throwing his $51.9 million budget out of balance in 2020.
				&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure we will be,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll definitely be in the negative.&rdquo;
				The November draft financial report listed a balance of $777,384, a difference of $2.5 million from the $3.3 million balance for the same period in 2019.
				Brown repeatedly warned of a shortfall from the loss of revenues tied directly to unemployment, business shutdowns and closings during the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.
				The city reported $44.5 million in revenues through 11 months of 2020 or 85% of the budgeted amount. The monthly total was $2.3 million lower than the $46.8 million for November 2019.
				Expenses, on the other hand, were higher than the previous year. The city reported $43.7 million or $163,305 more than November 2019.
				The city collected $11 million or 96 % of the $11.5 million budgeted in property taxes and 93% or $13.6 million of the $14.6 million budgeted for the earned income tax. Still, overall tax revenues were $1 million behind the $30.6 million collected through November 2019.
				Some of the other budgeted revenues were far off their mark with no signs of them hitting it, even with money received this year applied to last year&rsquo;s budget.
				Building permits were budgeted to bring in $2.4 million in revenue, but the city reported $657,081, approximately 27% of the total.
				Parking meter revenue was budgeted at $750,000. Through 11 months of 2020, the city collected $319,463 or 43% of the total.
				The city did better with revenue from the $50 annual fee for each of the sewer maintenance and recycling services. Of the $1.3 million budgeted for the sewer maintenance fee, the city collected 80% or $1 million. The collection was higher for the recycling fee, $648,671 or 89% of the budgeted $725,000. 
				The fees have been a point of contention in the 2021 budget.
				A majority of City Council opposed Brown&rsquo;s proposal to double the fees to $100 each in order to generate $2 million in additional revenue to balance his $53.2 million budget and avoid layoffs and cuts in services.
				Brown attempted to reach a compromise with the council majority by reducing his initial $100 fee. But the council majority of Tony Brooks, John Marconi and Beth Gilbert McBride rejected his offer. They lowered the fees to $75 each in their amended budget vetoed Wednesday by Brown.
				The lower fees remain, leaving Brown&rsquo;s budget in effect but partially unfunded.
				The fees could change again.
				After the veto the three council members announced they would introduce an ordinance at the upcoming Jan. 14 City Council meeting to lower the fees back to $50 in response to what they said was Brown&rsquo;s refusal to work with them on the budget.
				On the expense side, the workers compensation prior year claim payments exceeded the $675,000 budgeted. The monthly report listed the expense at $1.2 million or 177% of the budgeted amount.
				The tipping fees paid by the city to a contractor to take the recyclables collected at curbside came close to the $175,000 budgeted. The city paid $174,730 due to an increase in the per ton charge for the recyclables.
				Brown sought the higher recycling fee in his budget because the cans, glass, plastics and paper products collected by the Department of Public Works turned to into an expense from a source of revenue.
				The city&rsquo;s tally for unbudgeted COVID-19-related expenses topped $1 million in November. Brown said the city has been getting reimbursed for salaries, overtime and other expenditures it&rsquo;s been itemizing. The November report listed a federal grant of $427,347 and another $93,274 in funds transferred from the city&rsquo;s Office of Community Development.

Wilkes-Barre’s budget balance dropped below $1M in November