EASTON, Pa. – Northampton County property owners will likely face a tax increase in 2027, says County Executive Tara Zrinski.
The county’s financial outlook was one of the topics Zrinski talked about during her address before county council on Thursday evening.
Former Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure did not raise taxes during his eight years in the post, and cut them once.
But Zrinski said his last budget left important needs unfunded, including employee retirement contributions; the county’s contribution to its nursing home, Gracedale; and the Northampton County Jail.
“Given what we’re facing — maintaining services, caring for our workforce, and catching up on long-deferred infrastructure — it’s increasingly clear we will likely have a tax increase,” Zrinski said. “I know no one wants to hear that, and moreover, no one wants to vote on that.”
She did not discuss what the increase might be. The county’s tax rate has remained at 10.8 mills since McClure lowered the rate by about a mill in 2022.
Zrinski did say her goal “is to keep any increase as low as possible while being honest about what responsible government requires.”
She added that her administration is working to include in the 2027 budget a meaningful cost of living increase for county employees: “Wages have remained relatively stagnant, and for that, with the juxtaposition of rising costs, we need to do something.”
Northampton County’s budget for the coming year is typically unveiled in early October.
The discussion about the presumed tax hike comes on the heels of Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel announcing a nearly 18% tax increase there, as 69 News reported on Monday.
Siegel, too, blamed the increase on decisions made prior to his tenure and costs out of his administration’s control.
Fiscal director search
While the Zrinski administration continues to crunch the numbers, the county is still without a fiscal director. Brandon Dunstane has been serving as acting director of fiscal affairs during the ongoing search.
Zrinski previously had zeroed in on a candidate who changed her mind about accepting the position after county council cut her starting salary.
When asked on Thursday night whether she had any updates on the search, Zrinski said no.
“The ask of somebody to come in from a job that they’re making $130,000 to a job here for $106,000 (starting salary) is pretty bleak,” she added, and said her administration would try again in January.
Other business
Northampton County Council also approved a $3,000-a-month lease with Easton’s St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church. County employees will be able to park their vehicles in a church parking lot at 900 Washington Street during daytime hours while the new parking deck at the government center is under construction.
Zrinski told council the demolition of the current structure should begin sometime this month.
Council also signed off on a number of grants under the 2026 Grow NorCo Grant Projects and the 2027 Hotel Room Rental Tax Grant Projects.
The complete list is available in the meeting agenda packet.