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Property tax hike for 2027 budget

Northampton County Executive Tara Zrinski proposed a 2027 budget raising the property tax millage from 10.8 to 15.5 mills, a roughly 43.5% increase, after eight years of flat or cut rates. The hike would fund Gracedale operations, employee healthcare and pensions, capital maintenance, open space, and wage increases amid rising costs, population growth, and depleted reserves. County Council must approve or amend it, with expected public debate over fiscal sustainability versus tax burden on residents.

Should Northampton County enact the proposed 43.5% property tax increase to fund services and obligations?

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Sources

County Executive Tara Zrinski — https://www.mcall.com/2026/10/02/proposed-northampton-county-budget-includes-43-tax-hike-we-need-to-get-ahead-executive-says/
proposed a $566 million 2027 budget raising the millage rate from 10.8 to 15.5 mills (a 4.7-mill, or ~43.5%, increase)
Tara Zrinski — https://taraz.substack.com/p/northampton-county-2027-proposed
Years of flat/cut taxes (12 years without an increase, plus a cut) while costs rose, population grew (to ~324,000), and prior budgets relied on surpluses/fund balances left key obligations unfunded.
The Morning Call — https://www.mcall.com/2025/10/02/northampton-county-2026-budget-proposal-revealed/
The 2026 budget (under McClure, ~$503 million) kept the property tax rate flat at 10.8 mills for an eighth consecutive year
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Strongly support the full tax hike plus more progressive revenue to fully fund expanded services and equity
  2. Support the proposed tax increase as necessary to catch up on underfunded obligations and services
  3. Accept a smaller or phased tax increase paired with targeted spending reforms
  4. Oppose the large hike; require deeper spending cuts and efficiency before any tax rise
  5. Reject any property tax increase and demand major cuts to reverse prior underfunding practices