MERCER COUNTY Residents blast worker raises in light of recent tax increase

County officials told the residents they are doing more with less.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County commissioners' approval of cost-of-living raises to county employees drew fire from residents who questioned the move in light of the recent tax increase.
The commissioners' meeting room was packed Thursday as they approved, by a 2-0 vote, a 4 percent cost-of-living increase for elected officials and a 2.5 percent cost-of-living pay raise for county employees not belonging to unions.
Bill Boyle, director of administrative services, said the adjustments bring nonunion employees closer to what the unionized employees will receive under their contracts this year.
The unions received different amounts, but Boyle said their increases are close to 3 percent.
Commissioners Gene Brenneman and Kenneth Seamans fielded questions from about 30 people who attended the meeting. Commissioner Olivia Lazor was absent for personal reasons.
Protester's questions
Mercer resident Glenn Dosch, who recently picketed the courthouse to protest the tax increase, questioned commissioners at length about the need for the 19 percent tax increase, which goes into effect this year.
He pointed out that many county residents are elderly and on fixed incomes and receive no cost-of-living increases to help them pay tax increases.
Tax Collector Mickey DeForest said that applications for a partial rebate on taxes for senior citizens are available at the Agency on Aging.
Dosch also pointed out that the county population has decreased since 1990 while wages of public servants are going up, and they receive cost-of-living increases and "some of the best benefits around."
Seamans said since 1995 the number of county employees has dropped from 599 to 317, or to 380 if part-time positions are included. Brenneman said the county's former 11 department heads have been consolidated to five or six in an effort to cut personnel costs.
Seamans said one problem is that there was no tax increase for 19 years and that there were actually tax cuts in 1999 and 2000. Controller Thomas Amundsen agreed, stating the county is suffering today for a lack of foresight and planning in the past.
He said at the end of 2002, the county had only a $17,000 carry-over. He said 2003 will likely end with a deficit.
Several officeholders and elected officials defended the need for the tax increase.
Public Defender Raymond Bogaty said despite his caseload increase of 15 percent last year and eight to 10 percent in 2001, he continues to operate with the same staff.
Sheriff Bill Romine said despite increasing workloads and demand for services, he is hiring part-time employees to save the cost of providing benefits when he would prefer full-timers.
Jail costs
Dosch also questioned the high cost of housing county jail inmates, which is a major factor in the tax increase, and asked whether efforts are being made to prevent crime.
District Attorney James Epstein said the county has just completed the first year of "Weed and Seed," a successful program first tried in New York City, which deploys police to high-crime areas to have a deterrent effect on "street level crime and disturbance." It also identifies families at risk and provides services to them to try to prevent children from becoming criminal adults.
Criticisms also were aimed at the increase in outside courthouse lighting and the extensive courthouse renovation.
Brenneman said courthouse renovations were long overdue and necessary because of the state of courthouse water pressure, heating and lighting systems.