DUNMORE, PA – Lackawanna County Commissioners held their first contentious budget meeting last night with Brenda Sacco presiding as the new board chair, setting the stage for a difficult budget season. The session, held at the Dunmore Community Center, was dominated by sharp questions from the board regarding both the current proposed budget and last year's spending, which included a significant tax increase.
Concerns over financial stability, the ongoing status of a county reassessment, and future spending priorities were at the forefront of the heated discussion.
Commissioner Bill Gaughan staunchly defended the controversial tax hike enacted last year. He argued that the difficult decision was necessary and has ultimately paid off, allowing the proposed 2026 budget to be balanced without a tax increase this year.
However, newly-minted Chairwoman Sacco indicated a desire to look backward as well as forward. She expressed her intention to investigate specific line items from the previous budget, calling out the county's legal fees as a key area requiring immediate scrutiny.
The public debate over the county's financial future will continue later today. The next meeting to discuss the county budget is scheduled for 2 p.m. this afternoon at the Throop Municipal Building.
