Luzerne County Council unanimously adopted a no-tax-hike 2025 budget Tuesday and approved projects to be funded with both opioid litigation settlement and federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The $167.3 million general fund operating budget keeps the millage rate at 6.3541. To calculate their tax payment, property owners divide their assessed value by 1,000 and multiply it by the millage rate. For example, the owner of a $100,000 property pays $635.41 in county taxes.
Expenditures include $26.3 million to pay off past debt.
The budget relies on one-time revenue streams, in part to offset real estate tax revenue loss: $3 million in American Rescue Plan interest and $1 million carried over from the reserve.
Overall, the total county budget is $404.7 million, which factors in all other funds and budgets for departments that are largely or fully covered by outside revenue sources.
Opioid projects
Council approved awards from $1.56 million in opioid settlement funds that must be earmarked by the end of this year in compliance with regulations:
• Always Believe Recovery, $581,037 toward start-up costs for a new detoxification and residential treatment facility currently in development at 300 Courtright Ave. in Wilkes-Barre under the leadership of a team with decades of experience in the field — Nick Colangelo, Cindy Bellino and Larry Moran.
• Children’s Service Center — Robinson Counseling Center, $380,044 to expand its warm hand-off intervention program, increase prevention education in county schools and provide community programs on prescription drug disposal, medication safety and the antidote Narcan.
• Luzerne County Community College All One Recovery Educational Institute, $250,000 to provide tuition assistance to more students in recovery from substance use disorder and fund other initiatives.
• The Wright Center for Community Health, $198,337 to expand existing prevention programs and treatment services for those dependent on opioids.
• Volunteers of America, $121,800 to support its Give Hope program, which engages and connects the homeless with housing and other essential services.
• Hanover Area School District, $32,348 to expand prevention education and training.
• Wyoming Seminary, $495 to cover an online substance use prevention curriculum.
The county is expected to receive approximately $23 million over 18 years from the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors. The county’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement makes recommendations on projects to council.
American Rescue
Council voted to earmark $2.85 million in American Rescue funds to repair a 1.96-mile portion of Lower Demunds Road in Dallas Township and other county-owned infrastructure.
The county has leftover funds from past earmarks that were lowered or withdrawn because recipients scaled back plans or were unable to complete work within the deadline.
The infrastructure allocations approved Tuesday:
• Lower Demunds Road — $2 million for stormwater repairs, full-depth reclamation and paving.
• Patla Road Bridge, Ross Township — $350,000 for superstructure replacement.
• Kisenwether Bridge, Sugarloaf Township —$500,000 for bridge/culvert replacement.
Council tabled a vote to earmark $1 million to refurbish five salt sheds/maintenance garages and address stormwater because sufficient funding may not be available.
As expected, council tabled a vote to take back $1.5 million in unused American Rescue funds for a heating/utility assistance program. Council may opt to keep some or all of that money intact and extend the assistance through the winter.
Council had earmarked $2.5 million for the program in August 2023 to provide $290 in assistance to eligible homeowners and renters. This program was geared toward households typically shut out of such aid because their income is too high.
Based on the lower-than-expected level of response to date, the nonprofit Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO) — the program administrator — informed council the county can reclaim $1.5 million for other purposes.
Originally, the program was set to end Dec. 31.
Applications and other information are available at ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org.