First the good news, then the interesting news. Or at least it is to me.
Delaware County residents this morning are being greeted by the front-page headline that there will not be an increase in county taxes this year.
The initial budget proposal will keep the levy at 5.604 mills. That means is you have the average home assessed at $134,200, you will once again pay $752.05 in taxes.
This year's county budget process reverses a trend that saw taxes increase in each of the last three years. Last year residents took a 2.8 percent hike, largely because of increases in costs tied to the funding cuts from the state for operation of the Fair Acres Geriatric Center, as well as increased costs at the county 911 Center.
Now the interesting part.
The announcement that the county was not raising taxes was made by council at a public meeting in Springfield. That just happens to be the home of Council Chairman Tom McGarrigle, who is in a heated race for the vacant 26th District state Senate seat against Demcocrat union leader John Kane.
The county has to present their preliminary budget at least 60 days prior to the end of the year.
That always puts them precariously close to election day.
In years past - in particular when taxes are going up - council has not exactly gone out of its way to make the news public.
We usually have to pester them about it and when the initial numbers are going to be available.
Not so this year.
I'm sure it's just a coincidence, right?
At any rate, note that the news is plastered all over our front page.
That's what we did the past few years when taxes were going up. We couldn't very well bury the news inside when council is holding the line on taxes.
I wonder if next year, should the numbers go south and another tax hike is required, if council will be quite as forthcoming with the news.
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