Luzerne County Council will hold its first 2027 budget work session Tuesday to discuss proposed spending and revenue in three divisions — operational services, the district attorney’s office, and law, the agenda said.
The administration is proposing a 1.99% real estate tax increase in 2027, largely due to negotiated wage commitments, court needs, and infrastructure. The council is free to make adjustments before the final budget adoption scheduled for Dec. 8.
Tuesday’s work session immediately follows a 5 p.m. public hearing on the budget in the county courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Instructions for the remote meeting attendance option will be posted in the council’s online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.
The proposed budget is posted as an attachment to the council’s Oct. 15 meeting on the county site.
A snapshot of the three proposed budgets up for discussion:
• Operational services covers engineering, roads and bridges, GIS/mapping, planning and zoning, 911, emergency management, buildings and grounds, the boiler plant, and solid waste management.
The division’s proposed 2027 spending is $35.9 million, or $1.67 million more than this year. Revenue is projected at $30.3 million, which is a decrease of $303,927.
• The DA’s Office is seeking $8.4 million for expenses, which is an increase of $706,063. Its revenue is projected at $2.2 million, or $162,616 more.
• The law division includes solicitors, conflict counsel, and outside legal costs not covered by insurance.
Expenses are proposed at $4.3 million, or $1.07 million more. On the revenue side, $503,700 in receipts are projected, which is an increase of $23,733.
Election Board
The county’s volunteer, five-citizen Election Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the courthouse, which is its last regularly scheduled meeting before the Nov. 3 general election.
Board Vice Chairman Rick Morelli, a Republican, informed county officials last week he intends to resign after the board certifies the general election results because he is planning to run for a Hazleton Area School Board seat in 2027.
“I am providing this notice now to give County Council sufficient time to identify and appoint someone to fill my seat and ensure a smooth transition,” Morelli wrote.
The county home rule charter requires the council to appoint two Republicans and two Democrats to the board, and those four then select a fifth member of any affiliation or no affiliation to serve as chair.
Christine Boyle is chairwoman. The other seats are held by Democrats Albert Schlosser and Audrey Serniak and Republican Roxanne Arreguin.
A prior county councilman and home rule charter drafter, Morelli was appointed to the election board in January 2024.
Morelli said he is proud of the progress made during his time on the board, which he felt was previously too involved in day-to-day election bureau management.
“Since then, I believe we have moved toward a more productive relationship that allows the bureau to manage its operations while the board provides oversight and helps ensure fair and transparent elections,” he wrote.
”In my view, the Election Bureau and the county’s election process are in their strongest position since the implementation of home rule,” he added.
Instructions to remotely attend Wednesday’s board meeting will be posted in the council’s authorities, boards, and commissions online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.
Opioid commission
The county’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the courthouse.
This panel makes earmark recommendations to the council, which has the final say on awards from the county’s share of the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors. Allocations must comply with settlement fund eligibility protocols.
The link for remote attendance is in the council’s online meeting section at luzernecounty.org.
Pension fund
Based on available figures, the county’s employee pension fund ended the third quarter of the year down 0.4%, for a loss of $1.4 million and an ending total balance of $360.4 million on Sept. 30, fund advisor Richard Hazzouri, of Morgan Stanley, told the county Retirement Board last week.
Hazzouri said the final third-quarter figure is expected to improve because his firm is awaiting final pricing on gains from alternative investments that were not yet factored into the analysis.
Approximately 30% of the fund is in alternative investments, such as hedge funds.
As the figures stand, the fund is up 4.84% for the year through Sept. 30, with year-to-date gains of $16.7 million, he said. These gains are net of approximately $2.3 million in monthly pension obligations.
With the county’s public pension fund, the goal is maximizing returns without exposing it to undue risk — all while making sure enough cash is always available to cover ongoing pensions, Hazzouri has said.
An annual county subsidy is required to close a past gap that emerged between fund assets and liabilities.
The county’s pension subsidy is $14.7 million for 2026. The proposed 2027 budget earmarks $15.59 million for the subsidy — $11.4 million from the general fund operating budget and the remainder covered by reimbursements from outside funding sources.