Braddock mayor vows veto of borough's 2012 budget, tax hike

Braddock Mayor John Fetterman has promised to veto the 2012 budget passed by borough council Thursday night, saying that the 3-mill property tax increase is too much for borough residents to bear.

"There's a 100 percent chance this is vetoed, and we hope that taxpayers make their voices heard," he said.

Council earlier this month passed -- by a vote of 3-2 -- a preliminary budget that included a 3-mill tax increase. Thursday night, the council passed the budget with a 5-1 vote, with Councilwoman Tina Doose dissenting.

The tax hike was encouraged by the borough's Act 47 coordinator, Nick Bianchi. He said at the Dec. 13 meeting that the borough will have to rework its finances when it loses a one-time payments from UPMC and other sources and will need to come up with more than $100,000 a year in revenue. The current surplus of about $9,000 will cover some of the gap between revenue and expenses next year, but the borough would be in financial trouble soon after without a tax increase.

Braddock resident Phyllis Brown Thursday night chastised the council for raising taxes.

"Somewhere down the line, you forgot that you're supposed to be servants of the people," she said. "You guys have to stop taxing us and respond to your own household."

Ms. Doose agreed.

"I just think that there are things that could've been done," she said.

Mr. Fetterman will need to sway three members of council to prevent the tax hike; four members voting for it would override his veto. Council President Jesse Brown was voted out in the last election, to be replaced by Rob Parker in the new year.

Mr. Fetterman, who often clashed with Mr. Brown, hasn't attended a council meeting since September 2010, citing an inability to work with council. Mr. Fetterman said he will attend council meetings beginning with an agenda setting meeting on Tuesday.

He said he hopes to sway a few council members to his position in order to prevent the tax increase from going into effect. He also noted that the millage rate will likely have to be adjusted as a result of the ongoing Allegheny County property reassessments.

"It's certainly not over yet," he said

Annie Siebert: asiebert@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1613.

First published on December 30, 2011 at 9:39 am

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11364/1200249-100.stm?cmpid=localstate.xml

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