While Santa Claus is saying HO, HO, HO, the Democrat Montgomery County Commissioners are once again saying GO, GO, GO to higher property taxes.
As a consequence, homeowners will see their 2023 county tax bill soar eight percent, marking the fifth rate increase in the last eight years.
Money-grabs have become the new normal as Democrat Commissioner Val Arkoosh has established a long and regrettable history of raising taxes (see 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2022). But it wasn’t without help. For example, the 2016 tax hike was passed with “Yes” votes from now Governor-Elect Josh Shapiro and my Republican predecessor on the Board of Commissioners, Bruce Castor.
READ MORE — Wally Nunn: Guards, inmates, and taxpayers all suffer from Delaware County’s so-called “prison reform”
Truth be told, I am the only Montgomery County Commissioner in over a decade to vote “No” to a tax increase. And I have done so consistently, as it is my moral and fiduciary duty to be a conservative watchdog for the silent majority who are sick and tired of being fleeced by wasteful and reckless spending.
Speaking of wasteful and reckless spending, I recently voted “No” to a twelve percent pay raise for elected officials and went on the record to refuse participation in the compensation package that the Democrat County Commissioners voted to approve. That’s right… I am NOT taking the money. It is stunning and appalling that my colleagues had the nerve to award themselves a taxpayer-funded salary increase during a time when so many people are out of work and struggling to make ends meet.
The sense of entitlement and greed is overwhelming. In fact, the excess is so rampant that it is nearly impossible to detail the county’s many layers of largess, the most egregious of which involves the decadent renovation of the justice center in Norristown. Thanks to spiraling construction costs and countless contract amendments, the price of this boondoggle has already surpassed $400 million. The final tab is anybody’s guess. But what’s for sure is that Montgomery County taxpayers will be footing the enormous bill.
In these uncertain times, the residents of Montgomery County deserve a voice of sanity.
In addition to shining a spotlight on extravagant capital budget expenditures, I have also opposed millions of dollars in outrageous spending related to the county’s bloated operating budget — which includes, among other things, a multitude of mail-in voting contracts and woke Diversity, Equity & Inclusion training.
Now is not the time for more of the same. Facing the hurdles of runaway food and energy prices, empty store shelves and shrinking 401(k)s, the last thing families, retirees and small businesses need is the burden of a tax hike thrown in their face.
In these uncertain times, the residents of Montgomery County deserve a voice of sanity. And I will continue to be that voice in an effort to restore common sense and fiscal responsibility to the county courthouse.
Joe Gale has served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners since 2016. Currently in his second term, Commissioner Gale is the sole Republican on the three-member board.
Joe Gale- the man who lives in his parents house.
Who has done nothing but complain and drag down the Republican party in Montgomery County- and recently in PA.
Go away.
Where he may live is not as important to me as elected officials voting themselves a 12% pay raise. I believe that all pay raises for elected officials – at all levels of government – should be approved by the respective voters of the jurisdictions these officials are supposed to represent. Now, before anyone argues that this would mean that no pay raises would ever be approved, I want to point out that the salaries of elected officials are paid by the taxpayers, and if the taxpayers say “no” to a pay raise with their votes, then elected officials should work to do a better job.
It should matter to you that a child who has never had to take responsibility financially to pay bills is railing against elected officials who stick there necks out in a hostile political environment full of morons. Republicans have no electable bench of candidates for races. He’s complaining about cost of living increases for positions to remain competitive with competent educated professionals to run.
He doesn’t have to worry about it and has harmed the Republican brand.
Frank – we should all be taking shots at this jerk every chance we get. He’s an embarrassment and people who defend him are the problem.
Do you use a fictious name, or is that your legal name? Why is Joe Gale an embarrassment? Is it because he disobeyed and placed US flags during a time when people were irrationally fearful and told to stay inside and hide from sunshine? I live in Havertown, and wish we had more Joe Gale’s here in Delaware County. Sunshine is a beautiful thing.
Hi Doug – I felt that the real story behind Gale’s article is the problem of Montco commissioners not really being held accountable for their actions by the voters. I appreciate someone bringing the issue to the fore. While I may agree with you about Mr. Gale (and quite frankly his brother is even worse) we need to look at how these county officials actually govern. Montco is not a shining example, and the fact that the Montco Republican Party’s only winner at this level is Gale speaks to the feckless nature of that county party organization. And on the other side, it seems to me that the Democrat party in Montco seems to take its registered voters for granted and once elected pretty much govern without holding their records up for public scrutiny and discussion.
I agree, but I am hoping next year to see a competent, strategic professional who is looking to build a big tent party. Not burn down coalitions and drive people away so Dems continue fundraising and sending their money to competitive districts to push any Republicans further out of SE PA.
Seems to me that what he says is straight forward, that he leaves
with his patents has nothing to do with him stating the facts. And the
facts are that he is right to expose the actions of greedy officials that
try to enrich themselves at their constituents expenses while they
themselves are having a hard time through this disastrous administration’s
policies. I don’t see why you’re so opposed to what he has to say, maybe
you’re one of those officials that he is talking about? With a name like that,
Dung, I believe you are.
I’m not thrilled with Val Arkoosh and Ken Lawrence, but Joe Gale is another beast entirely. He literally has nothing to say in the MontCo Commissioner’s meetings. No policy and no constructive interaction. He is not one of the adults in the room. He’s like the Marjorie Taylor Greene of MontCo.
Frank – The person in this specific comment section with whom you’re corresponding identifies as Dung, not Doug. The possibility exists, although not probable, that it is their legal name. I admire your attempts to find common ground with them. Have you thought of running yourself? Or meeting with Joe Gale in person? I was a registered Democrat myself until the Covid debacle opened my eyes. If Independents were permitted to vote in the primaries the United States would quickly right itself on every level.
Sorry about the Doug – Dung thing Michael. I actually thought I had used the pseudonym – so much for my editorial capacity. I feel cautious about having open primaries because of the opportunity they represent for getting things screwed up – look at the money the Democrats spent this past primary season to get the more “extreme” Republicans nominated. Then again, that raises the entire issue of money in campaigns. Glad for your comments and the engagement here at B&L
I just posted an straight up reply to one of the commentators here.
I did not say/wrote anything that should merit an awaiting period
while it is ‘approved’. The title of this platform, “Broad And Liberty,
does not reflect the what the name imply, which is freedom to express
one self freely, as long as it is not hateful or bullish and respect other’s
right to express their own opinions. If I wanted to be censored for any
just posting a reply, I would stayed at the Breibart’s platform where
censoring now is blatantly done. Thank you.