On Thursday, the Montgomery County commissioners joined their fellow Democrats governing Chester and Delaware Counties to give homeowners a lump of coal for Christmas: a nine percent tax hike.
Republican Commissioner Tom DiBello voted against the $610.9 million operating budget, but he backed the $244.4 million capital budget. DVJournal asked why he split his vote.
DiBello explained personnel costs make up the lion’s share of the budget, and he’d asked for detailed analysis from each department but had not received it, so he didn’t feel comfortable voting for the budget. He hopes to get that information next year.
But with the capital budget, there are already projects underway that can’t just be halted.
“Do we want to continue to do everything we’re doing?” DiBello asked. He believes the county needs to be run more like a business. “We need to look into these programs. We can’t continue doing everything we’re doing at the expense of the taxpayers.”
Democratic BOC Chair Jamila Winder touted a new year-round shelter approved Thursday to help the homeless, partnering with Lansdale Borough and Resources for Human Development. It will house 20 people at a time. There were 435 people sleeping outside in Montgomery County during a count of the homeless earlier this year.
“The shelter is a monumental step in our mission to address housing insecurity across Montgomery County,” said Winder. “And most importantly this is a demonstration of our fulfillment of our promise to our residents in Montgomery County.”
It will “provide person-centered, wrap-around services to help our friends and neighbors secure permanent housing and other community services. This is in addition to the second homeless shelter that opened in Lansdale.”
There are often 27 to 38 homeless people in Lansdale, she said. She thanked the borough for “having the courage” to address homelessness.
Lansdale Council President Mary Fuller said, “The feedback we’ve gotten from our residents has been nothing but positive.”
Chief Financial Officer Dean Dortone presented the 2025 budget, which includes a $15.8 million structural deficit. Expenditures are 7.6 percent higher than in 2024, primarily for personnel costs, debt service and money transferred to the 911 Fund.
He said the deficit will be filled by the real estate tax increase from 5.64 mills to 5.178 mills and money from the unassigned fund balance. Real estate taxes comprise 54 percent of the budget, with federal and state grants contributing 34.6 percent. The remainder is from fees from the various departments.
The average single-family homeowner with a market value of $520,100 would pay $965 to the county, an increase of $79.
The county, which has a Triple-A Moody’s rating, also expects to issue $165 million in new bonds for capital projects in 2025.
County Sheriff Sean Kilkenny thanked the commissioners for “their commitment to public safety.” He thanked them for “gear, vehicles and resources” and funds for vests for the K-9s, as well as increasing their recruiting budget.
Ambler resident David Morgan was concerned about “the galloping horse of a tax increase.”
A woman told the BOC that a 9 percent tax hike was too much.
“It’s really tough on taxpayers,” who also pay federal, state and municipal taxes. “Listen to the taxpayers.” She suggested they delay adopting the budget for a week to find places to save. “There are things to take out of the budget,” she said. “You’re spending our money.”
“Although you’re hearing us, I don’t think you’re listening,” she added.
Winder called the budget a “complicated dance” and said the commissioners take “our fiduciary duty really serious,” and she is “keeping people center of all I do…This was hard, but we have promises to deliver on. We have commitments we made to the community…There’s no luxury spending here in Montgomery County.”
Democrats also control Delaware County and Chester County. Delaware County Council voted to increase taxes by 23 percent this month, and the Chester County BOC voted to increase taxes by 13.47 percent. Bucks County, which Democrats also control, passed its budget Wednesday without a tax increase. Voter registration in Bucks County recently flipped to Republican majority.
