County Executive uses Line item Veto to Strike Five Problematic Budget Amendments

(Lehigh County) Lehigh County Executive Tom Muller today used the line item veto provision of Lehigh County’s Home Rule Charter to strike five of thirty-one amendments made by the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners to the Administration’s 2016 budget.

Muller said that the Commissioners approach to the amendment process was simply political theater, replacing the adequate vetting of department budgets during the hearings in September with amendment ambushes as the budget moved forward for approval.  That resulted in 48 amendments being proposed, 31 being approved and the provision of a small tax cut while budgeting for deficit spending.

“The Happy Meal tax cut, which amounts to $12.80 per household on average, was a move designed to confuse voters into believing that campaign promises of the past have been met,” said Muller. “It is not prudent fiscal management but I am opting to leave the Commissioners running for election with their political spin and only veto what I consider to be the five most ill-advised amendments.”

Please see County executive Muller’s veto statement attached to this document.

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