According to comments in the Daily Times, Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer has done an amazing thing: she has saved taxpayers $10 million. How did she do it, you ask? Easy — she merely said she was going to spend $70 million and only spent $60 million. Perhaps, if she really cared about the taxpayer, she should say she is spending $1 billion and then spend only $60 million, thereby saving the taxpayers $940 million.

If one spends some time trying to decipher her somewhat convoluted comments, one will see what she is really saying. In 2023, Council will spend $60 million on capital projects, and in 2024, Council will spend $70 million. Where in these numbers do you see a saving? The net result, without any of the Councilwoman’s legerdemain, is another $8 million in annual real estate taxes.

I am not arguing about the need for Delaware County to address capital needs. I am arguing that they are on a spending spree that will require them to raise the county real estate tax by 35 to 40 percent over the next couple of years.

Earlier articles here at Broad + Liberty have pointed out that Council has increased the budget by more than the $60 million that it is funded with non-recurring money — in other words, money that the taxpayers will have to begin funding over the next two years. With the Councilwoman’s additional $130 million of capital spending, the looming deficit is approaching $70 million. All or most of that will be covered by raising the most regressive tax around: the real estate tax. 

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One might ask when “progressives” became so regressive. The answer is, when it suits them. Delaware County residents should be forewarned that the County Council will be able to hide these tax increases until after the county elections this fall by spending the remaining Covid-era federal stimulus funds. However, if Councilwoman Shaefer is re-elected this fall, it will be too late to reverse course. 

Of course, if you live in Radnor, as the Councilwoman does, what’s a few hundred dollars more on your tax bill? It won’t mean you need to skip a medicine you need, it won’t mean setting the thermostat even higher in the summer, it won’t mean skipping dental care for your children (I know that first hand), it won’t mean further restricting what you buy at the supermarket. Unfortunately, It will mean those things to many elderly and working class people.

Furthermore, Council seems oblivious to the fact that every dime the Council raises the real estate tax further squeezes the school districts. Yes, Council, the tax you impose is piled on top of school and municipal taxes. School boards and local municipalities are closer to their people than you and they know every decision to raise taxes is another nail in their communities’ coffins. 

I’m not talking about the affluent communities three of the Council Members come from. They can afford to be progressive, but the rest of the county can’t. Two of the Council members know what I’m talking about. How many residents in Councilwoman Monica Taylor’s hometown of Upper Darby, or Councilman Womack’s Darby Township, can afford double digit tax increases? Perhaps they will stand up against the profligate spending of the “elitist” majority. Reuther, Schaefer and Madden need to represent all the people and not just their social set.

Wally Nunn is the former Chairman of Delaware County Council, a former member of the Delaware County Jail Oversight, and is currently the chairman of the Broad + Liberty board of directors.