ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The city is still without a budget for next year after Mayor Matt Tuerk vetoed council’s budget Monday.
The body last week adopted a 2026 budget that kept the property-tax rate flat while significantly increasing trash fees. But it required officials to take $1.5 million out of the city’s coffers to balance revenues and spending.
Council adopted that plan after repeatedly rejecting proposals from Tuerk’s administration.
The mayor in mid-October requested an almost 4% property-tax increase — which would have been the first in seven years — along with a $135 trash-fee hike.
He called on council to raise additional revenues so the city could continue funding the same level of essential services it provided in 2025.
The mayor also offered measures that would’ve kept his requested tax increase but would have lowered the trash-fee increase by $25 or $50.
Several council members were steadfast in their opposition to raising taxes and rejected those options in favor of a budget that would see owners of lower-valued properties pay more than they would have under either of the mayor’s counterproposals.
Tuerk last week called council’s continued opposition to “reasonable” property taxes “bulls--t.”
On Monday, he said his veto was “simple” to explain.
“The amended budget does not adequately increase revenue to meet the city’s rising costs, and we cannot jeopardize our financial health by using our limited cash reserves to balance our budget,” the mayor wrote in a statement to council.
“Depleting limited cash reserves with no method to increase revenue would only put the city at greater risk,” Tuerk said.
Administration officials and Controller Jeff Glazier had repeatedly warned council that borrowing could affect the city’s bond rating and force it to pay more in interest on bonds for projects to expand the police department and build a new fire station.
Council can override Tuerk’s veto to reinstate its budget before the end of the year, but it has no meetings currently scheduled. Five members would need to support the override to approve it.
If they don’t, Tuerk said, his initial budget proposal will take effect Jan. 1.
"I am eager to find a compromise with council," Tuerk said, asking members to "explore and propose alternative solutions in the time that you have left in 2025."
