On a 2-1 Vote, Northumberland County Passes 2011 Budget

Let the fireworks begin.  All three commissioners seats will be up for reelection in 2011.  Let this serve notice as the first shots fired during the election season.  All three can claim they didn't raise taxes until after November.

While Clausi goes on about a rant and rave about the union contracts, the big bite is the 25% increase in health care premiums. Does walking into a doctor's office cost 25% more on January 1st? 

While Clausi threw Masser under the bus just after the November election, Vinni is longing for the days that Masser was a county commissioner taken from the News-Item.

While it is possible to re-open the budget in the new year and consider layoffs and spending cuts, Clausi is convinced it will never happen since he is the minority opinion despite being in the majority party. It requires a majority vote to do this.

He promised Sawicki and Phillips to remind them of their votes when they are struggling to stay within the budget.

"I miss Commissioner Masser today," said Clausi as the budget discussion ended, referring to former Commissioner Kurt Masser who resigned in November after he won the legislative seat in the 107th district.