EASTON, Pa. - Easton announced two new updates to the city’s finances on Tuesday.
First, Easton will look into new adjusted funds for the 2023 budget in January after a reduction in estimated payment to the city’s pension plan fund was found.
Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said the pension plans the city made overestimated the amount of mandated municipal obligations, or MMO, funds for the city budget.
- Easton announced a $500,000 reduction in its current 2023 budget due to an overestimation of pension payment plans
- The city also has gotten more than $1 million more in grants
- City Council will have to adjust the budget at its Jan. 11 meeting
So the budget will be reduced by $508,000.
Panto said the city’s actuary informed him of the news, putting the 2023 budget out of balance. City Council's Dec. 27 meeting had been canceled, so it will see the new budget proposal on Jan. 11.
“We will be recommending to the city council that the $508,000 be replaced in the city’s capital fund, for future capital expenses such as the $1.7 million fire truck that we’re purchasing for the fire department,” Panto said.
City Administrator Louis Campos clarified the MMO presented to the council on Sept. 28 were estimated numbers since the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System did not present its reporting to the city.
“As a result of the pension plan's late reporting, the city had no choice but to file with an estimated payment which was $500k more than was reported," Campos said. "As a result, we announced today the city would realize a $500k reduction in its budget for the Fiscal Year 2023.”
The city also got more than $1 million in grants that will go toward needed upgrades for the police and fire departments and the 2023 Winter Village among others.
The grants
Two of the largest grants announced Tuesday are shared by Easton and Wilson Borough through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, or PCCD.
The first grant, at $131,868 between the two, is a gun violence prevention grant that will let the municipalities get license plate readers and cameras.
Campos said the devices primarily will be used in the West Ward and along the boundaries of Wilson and Easton.
The second PCCD grant, a Local Law Enforcement Support Grant, comes in at $768,322 and will let Easton and Wilson buy new P25 radios to be used on officers and in vehicles.
“It's a great savings to the city, but it also allows us to move on this project probably sooner than we would have."<br/>Easton Police Chief Carl Scalzo
Easton Police Chief Carl Scalzo said Northampton County is scheduled to upgrade its radio frequency and bandwidth that will require all municipalities to have radio equipment that is compatible.
Scalzo said that because of the frequency change, the radios were going to be a new purchase eventually.
“It's a great saving to the city, but it also allows us to move on this project probably sooner than we would have,” Scalzo said.
Full list of grants
Here are all the grants announced Tuesday:
- $19,200: Northampton County SMS new fire apparatus
- $25,000: Northampton County’s Grow Norco Grant that aims to improve the walkability of South Sitgreaves St.
- $40,000: Northampton County Hotel tax toward the 2023 Winter Village.
- $131,868: Pa. Commission on Crime and Delinquency Gun Violence Prevention in conjunction with Wilson.
- $768,322: Local Law Enforcement Support Grant in partnership with Wilson for new radios and equipment.
