ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Mayor Matt Tuerk is adamant his initial 2026 budget proposal — one that calls for a 3.96% property-tax increase and $135 hike in annual trash fees — will take effect as the clock strikes midnight Wednesday night into Thursday.
Council failed Tuesday night to override the mayor’s veto of its budget, which would’ve eliminated the tax raise and maintained the trash-fee increase.
Some council members and the City Council's solicitor, Maria Montero, said that leaves the city without a 2026 budget for the start of the new year.
“When midnight strikes tonight, we have to have a budget in place for 2026."Mayor Matt Tuerk
They pointed to a 2019 referendum in which voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to eliminate a mechanism known as a “default budget” from Allentown’s home-rule charter.
The charter had allowed mayors’ budget proposals to take effect by default if they could not reach an agreement with city legislators.
Then-Mayor Ray O’Connell used a well-timed veto in December 2018 to force through his own 2019 budget proposal, which included a 27% property-tax increase.
It appeared council’s first priority in 2026 would be to pass a revenue-and-spending plan for the year.
But Tuerk on Wednesday afternoon told LehighValleyNews.com there was no need for more meetings on next year’s budget.
“We have a budget for 2026,” the mayor said.
“The draft budget that we presented — that is the 2026 budget.”
Council 'failed': Mayor
Allentown “can’t not have a budget” as the new year starts, Tuerk said, noting that the Pennsylvania Municipal Code requires local officials to adopt the next year’s fiscal plan by Dec. 31.
“When midnight strikes tonight, we have to have a budget in place for 2026,” he said.
So, Tuerk said, his administration will operate under his initial proposal.
“I have a responsibility, as the mayor of this city, to deliver … services to our residents,” he said. “That requires a budget to be in place. This is the budget that I'm putting (in place). I'm decisive in this action.”
“I provided a balanced budget to city council,” Tuerk said. “They failed to do what they are required to do.”
The mayor believes his budget meets the home-rule charter’s requirements for adoption, as it was presented to council before the deadline and balances revenues and spending.
But Section 805 of the charter says “council and the administration must adopt an annual budget” by Dec. 31 each year, signaling an agreement is needed between executive and legislative officials.
“To say that there is no (2026) budget is false."Mayor Matt Tuerk
That section included a “default budget” provision until six years ago, when it was removed after voters overwhelmingly backed a referendum to eliminate that option.
But council never adopted legislation to codify voters’ will in the charter, leaving Section 805 unclear as to how officials should move forward if there isn’t a budget agreement by Dec. 31.
“The previous language was very specific about what happens” if the mayor and council don’t agree on a budget, Tuerk said. “The current language is not specific about what happens.”
The mayor said he has the “authority” to adopt a default budget because the charter doesn’t explicitly block it.
“To say that there is no (2026) budget is false,” he said.
Tuerk and council had a similar battle two years ago over the 2024 budget.
The mayor in November 2023 vetoed council's no-new-taxes budget, and council members failed to override his veto by the same 4-3 vote as Tuesday night.
The body in December 2023 again adopted a budget without a tax raise; Tuerk let that plan take effect without his signature.
