Republican council candidate Brian Burke fired off salvos against the Democrats now controlling the Delaware County Council. Since the council flipped to the Democrats, there’s been a 50 percent tax increase, he said.
Burke says the situation isn’t pretty for Delco taxpayers.
“Council plugged its 2025 budget hole with one-time dollars that won’t be there in 2026,” Burke said. That includes $12.9 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), $14 million from the fund balance (savings), $8.2 million from transfers, and $6.4 million in extra ARPA money for the health department. “That’s $41 million in temporary cash.”
Burke, 59, is a steamfitter by trade. A former Democrat who was Upper Darby Council president, Burke said taxpayers can’t afford the current county council’s profligate spending.
The more than 23 percent real estate tax hike the Delco council passed in December, coupled with budget maneuvers like using one-time federal ARPA funds to fill gaps, are reasons voters should support him, Burke said.
He expects the Delco council to pass another significant tax increase for 2026, but its budget will not become public until after the Nov. 4 election.
“We’re looking at a $13 million deficit the following year,” said Burke. “You’re looking at a 20 percent tax increase. And that’s their numbers. It’s their chart. It’s not going to go away unless we have a reduction.”
If elected, Burke said he’d be a fiscal watchdog and hold the council accountable.
Since the Democrats took control of Delaware County Council in 2019, they’ve been spending without regard to whether taxpayers can afford it, he said. For example, they started a new health department and de-privatized the county prison.
“A driver [of spending] is paying back their donors,” including law firms, he noted. Instead of keeping legal work in-house, the council spent $4.7 million on outside lawyers in 2024.
“Why do we need 50 electric cars?” asked Burke. “We don’t have 50 charging stations.”
“They’re out of their league and they’re making it hard on the residents of Delaware County,” said Burke. The median household income for Delaware County was $90,088 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census.
He noted that Councilwoman Christine Reuther recently said the county could not afford to spend $417,000 on Tasers for the park police.
“We are going to be making a lot of very difficult decisions over the next few months, over the next six months as we move towards a budget and I see a need for this,” Reuther said in July. “I’m going to feel stressed about laying people off or cutting benefits or cutting services.”
When Burke talks to the public, most people are not aware of how much the council has been spending and how that impacts them as taxpayers.
Since 2021, the Democrat-controlled council has increased property taxes by $53 million. Unless the council cuts the county budget, taxes will be increased next year, he said.
“We’re looking at a $13 million deficit for 2026,” he said. “You’re looking at a 20 percent tax increase and that’s their numbers.”
Burke criticized spending on the new county health department. While the county received grants to start it, the council used $5.3 million in ARPA funds to help pay for its costs in the 2025 budget, he said.
“Why do we need a health department?” Burke asked. The state has a health department along with only eight Pennsylvania counties. It costs $19 million in taxpayer money, he said. The county spent more than $1 million to try to take health inspections away from municipalities and lost in court, he said.
“They knew they were going to lose,” he claimed. “This mismanagement of money is unreal.”
“Whether by evil genius or complete incompetence, those responsible for being good stewards of our tax dollars have failed the residents of Delaware County miserably and, given the state of too many hospitals, schools, streets, and parks in the county, have precious little to show for it,” said Terry Tracy, publisher and CEO of Fideri News Network and a Delaware County resident. “The irony of self-proclaimed progressives increasingly relying upon regressive taxes to sustain the explosion of county government — to the tune of $94 million on an inherited property tax base of $173 million — should not be lost on anyone.”
Burke predicts a financial Armageddon if the council does not stop its spending increases.
“People are getting hit with these taxes,” said Burke. “You’re going to have businesses go out of business. You’re going to have restaurants and your corner stores go out of business because nobody’s going to be able to afford to eat out or pick up a hoagie.”
“They’re digging us into a deeper and deeper hole,” Burke said. “And they think they can go to the well, just to raise taxes every time they need money. If we all could do that, we’d be living in mansions, right?”
The county council is also not doing enough to attract new businesses, he said. Instead, the increase in real estate taxes, with more coming, is driving businesses — and jobs — away.
“We’ve got a lot of vacant buildings in the county. What are they doing to bring in new businesses? They’re asleep at the wheel,” said Burke.
Another example is the new Human Relations Commission, which will mean more costs for employers and residents, “for lawyers and courts,” he said, predicting that people will file frivolous complaints to settle grudges. “Nobody’s protected,” he said. “Some things need to be left alone.”
“There’s no checks and balances,” Burke added.
In November, Burke and fellow Republican Liz Piazza are running against incumbent Councilman Richard Womack and candidate Joanne Phillips, now the county controller. Womack, who voted against the 2025 budget, did not respond to a request for comment.
“Council will say this isn’t certain,” said Burke. “Don’t believe it. These are their own numbers, their own charts, their own budget. The bottom line is simple: Unless council cuts spending, your taxes are going up again — and in a big way.”
“Taxpayers deserve honesty, not budget gimmicks,” he said.
Phillips said has controllers she has “little authority to stop” the council from spending money but does offer her “comments and analysis.” Her office also helps protect taxpayers from fraud and conducts internal audits.
Phillips supports the county health department and noted it is 80 percent funded by grants. She also supports county control of the jail. Instead of paying a private company they pay corrections officers and created programs to help inmates return to their communities, treat mental illness and substance abuse.
And, Phillips said, bringing jobs to the county is “a top priority for me.”
“My background includes real estate and redevelopment,” she said. “We have a County rich in resources- hard working, trained and educated workers, great transportation, and a location that is the envy of the region. By being strategic in our planning, listening and working with leaders in our municipalities, we can compete to bring business and jobs to Delco.”