Chester still planning to recover

Working for city government can be fun and secure unless you’re responsible for balancing a budget. 

Chester amended their recovery plan to keep our financial head above water for the next 5 years and it will come with a bitter bill to swallow for all of us. 

The recovery plan includes various recommendations for reducing personnel costs, which account for the majority of the city’s expenses. Those suggestions include requiring health insurance premium contributions, limiting salary increases, controlling overtime, reducing retirement benefits and eliminating positions.

Employees will pay more for health insurance; get smaller raises if any at all; rarely see overtime in their pay checks; and likely may be out of a job if they’re considered non-essential. And if you’re at retirement age, I’d suggest you get out now. 

The plan also encourages council to explore new parking-related revenue, including taxes and fees, but it does not propose specific rates or fees.

Watch out PPL Park and Harrah’s. They’re not through with you yet. 

The plan argues that new and higher tax rates might provide short-term revenue, but will negatively impact the city’s efforts to attract new residents and businesses.

No one likes more taxes, but Chester tax payers still pays far less than our neighbors. Businesses should still be attracted to our Keystone Opportunity Zones but where would a new tax paying resident consider moving to in Chester. The only new homes we build in large numbers are public housing. 

You can put me on the "New Homes for Tax Payers"  committee if you ever plan to have revenue generating homes built in Chester. 

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