here - Satellite Beach

Internet – Newspaper Archives Searches
Marla Marcinko
(Articles are in reverse chronological order)
TAB 7
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA)
December 8, 2005
No tax increase next year
Author: Judy Laurinatis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Penn Hills residents will have one more chance to comment on next year's proposed $34.7
million budget, which carries no increase in the current 4.6-mill tax rate.
The first budget hearing was held last week, and a second one is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 14, at
which Mayor Anthony DeLuca and council may vote on Manager Marla Marcinko's spending
plan.
While the budget contains no tax increase, residents did question some of the proposed wage
increases for workers. Some raises, like those for union workers, range from 2 percent for water
pollution control department employees to 3.5 percent for police. A 3.5 percent rate increase is
being proposed for nearly all nonunion employees, management and nonmanagement, because
of wage freezes last year.
However, raises above 3.5 percent were recommended for three positions. Those include director
of public safety and human resources director, two positions created this year, and administrative
assistant to the manager. The latter two positions would be filled through promotions, and all
three salaries would be above $50,000.
Several factors made the across-the-board raises and a no-tax-increase budget possible. While
revenue this year is expected to be below estimates by $693,000, estimated expenditures for the
current fiscal year will likely be below budgeted estimates also, by about $956,000. The net
savings will be $263,000.
Three jobs were eliminated from the overall municipal payroll late this year, even though several
new positions were created. The biggest change was in the police communications unit, which
was disbanded when emergency dispatching was turned over to Allegheny County 911. Seven
jobs were eliminated there, though five workers were absorbed into other police duties.
Finally, Ms. Marcinko's budget proposes a lean $60,452 general fund balance at the end of the
next fiscal year. This year's fund balance is expected to be around $1 million.
Nevertheless, resident and former school board member Heather Hoolahan told council,
"Remember, the median income in Penn Hills is $44,000."
But Ms. Marcinko is also recommending that future raises for nonunion employees be tied to a
performance evaluation system to be implemented for the future. This will "tie salary increases
to merit," she said in her budget message.
Page 56 of 76