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Divided Wilkes-Barre council approves 2021 budget with fee increases citizensvoice.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from citizensvoice.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown says a city council majority did not heed the advice of the cityâs financial adviser when amending his 2021 budget.
Brown on Friday released a statement from Public Financial Management in response to remarks Councilman Tony Brooks made related to PFM and amendments that he, John Marconi and Beth Gilbert McBride voted to make to Brownâs $53.2 million spending plan on Thursday.
Bill Barrett and Mike Belusko had voted against the amendments, which slashed budgeted overtime and workers compensation costs by $200,000 each and increased budgeted revenue for recycling and sewage transmission fees by $300,000 each and for fines by $100,000.
The Wilkes-Barre City Council gave initial approval to Mayor George Brownâs 2021 budget Thursday after making several amendments to reduce fee increases proposed by the mayor.
Brown said he was disappointed because the budget as amended by council is ânot a balanced budget. You raised fluff numbers and you reduced numbers that are real,â he said, calling the amended budget âunrealistic.â
The mayorâs original budget proposal relied on increasing the annual sewage transmission and recycling fees from $50 each to $100 each raise $2 million in additional revenue. Facing resistance from council members Tony Brooks, John Marconi and Beth Gilbert McBride, Brown met with Brooks and council Chairman Bill Barrett to negotiate.