By KRISTIE LINDEN
Donora council passed a 2020 preliminary budget Thursday that includes a 1.25-mill tax increase, but it took accusations of grandstanding, a couple of disagreements and a mayoral tie-breaker vote to get there.
Outgoing councilmen John Conger and Dennis Gutierrez protested the draft spending plan.
“There is no way this borough needs a tax increase and our residents can’t afford it,” Conger said. “We had the biggest tax increase in Donora history two years ago.”
Conger said the tax increase was needed due to the county tax reassessments.
“We got beat soundly in the election,” Conger said, referring to himself, Gutierrez and Councilman Gib Szakal, who was absent last night. “We fought for two years to keep taxes low.”
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