Key changes in Hazleton’s spending plan

Nov. 13--Hazleton's 2018 budget document is twice as long as spending plans presented in the past. It was developed in a format requested by council, with brief explanations accompanying many of the line items in this year's proposal, Mayor Jeff Cusat said.

In addition to the new format, some of the more notable changes to line items in Cusat's $10.499 million budget proposal include:

--The police department budget increasing from $3,985,969 this year to $4,595,730 in '18. The $636,761 increase is the result of contractual salary increases and rising health insurance and worker compensation costs, Cusat said.

The cost reflects a department consisting of 42 officers, which is the minimum the city must employ to comply with Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant funding criteria, Cusat said.

--Salaries and health insurance costs driving the fire department budget up from $1,948,157 this year to $2,123,253 in '18.

Cost increases for both the police and fire departments account for more than half of the $1.5 million in income from the possible sale/lease of municipal authority assets, Cusat noted.

--$173,000 in reimbursement from a COPS grant. The grant will fully fund two police officer hires, the budget states.

--Removing $50,000 in federal seizure funds that council built into this year's budget. Budgeting that money presents legal issues for the city, Cusat said.

--Reducing revenue generated from business licenses from $250,000 this year to $140,000 in 2018. As of Aug. 31, the city received $124,997 in revenue from issuing those licenses.

Cusat said council "over exaggerated" this line item and others to avoid having to increase taxes in 2017.

--Cutting revenue from Hazleton City Authority by $170,277 (or 29 percent) to $425,000 in 2018.

Money that council budgeted for selling HCA land has been removed from the budget. The balance is from a payment the authority makes to the city through a services agreement.

--Eliminating $11,220 in revenue from vector control services. Money for the position was eliminated this year, Cusat said.

--Cutting an airport fund transfer to the city from $30,000 this year to $12,000 in '18. The line item was scaled back after council requested reimbursement in 2017 for services the city provided at the airport.

Cusat said money council sought had been written off years ago and that the city has nothing on file to justify the larger reimbursement request.

--A projected 63 percent increase in administrative salaries. Cusat said the increase is due to the city restoring one of the City Hall positions that had been removed from the '17 budget. The line item would climb from $42,652 this year to $69,478 next year.

--The addition of $21,531 in health insurance costs for the city clerk. The previous clerk did not require insurance but the current one does, Cusat said. The line item will increase from about $1,000 in '17 to more than $22,000 next year.

--Increasing a maintenance salaries line item from $68,443 this year to $78,443 in '18. The increase restores funding that was eliminated from last year's budget and meets contractual obligations, Cusat said.

--Adds $21,705 to a "non-uniform" police salary line item. The line item was reduced to $53,131 this year but the adjustment "brought that back up to reality."

--A line item for contracted services for code enforcement increasing from $75,000 this year to $115,000 in '18. Engineering services that were cut from last year's budget would be restored in '18, Cusat said.

--Contractual wages increasing from $457,472 in '17 to $620,830 next year for 13 Department of Public Works employees. The 36 percent increase is mostly the result of moving a mechanic from the city garage back to that department, Cusat said.

--Municipal garage salaries for three mechanics and a time keeper climbing by more than $46,000, to $182,773 in 2018. A mechanic position is restored in next year's budget proposal, Cusat said.

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