County Spending & Taxes –
SEPA v Lancaster County
Over the last couple of months we’ve highlighted the budgets, tax hikes, and spending of counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania. However, not all counties are seeing rising budgets and tax rates each year. Take a look at the table below which was provided to us by Broad + Liberty.
This shows that over the last five years Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester Counties received escalating tax revenue which fed the beast of county spending rates of 55%, 89%, and 40% respectively.
Lancaster County, by contrast, only increased its spending by 10%, managing with a limited increase in tax revenue and no tax rate increase in 2025.
Why are these collar counties spending more each year and forcing taxpayers to foot the bill? What is different about Lancaster County?
DELAWARE COUNTY
In Delaware County, the decision to de-privatize the county prison has increased costs. Each year there are more safety issues with the prison despite the increasing budget. Wally Nunn, former Chairman of the Delaware County Council, pointed out the safety and cost concerns in this Broad + Liberty article in 2022. Since then, taxpayers continue to pay the price for bad decisions being made by Delaware County leaders.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
In Montgomery County, the elected leaders have been on a spending spree, resulting in 109% increase in taxes over 10 years. Millage rates for all the counties were published in March by Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office and can be downloaded here. It seems county leadership has conditioned residents to expect taxes to increase every year with 71% of the tax base coming from Single Family Dwellings. Homeowners are paying the price for a decade of county mismanagement.
CHESTER COUNTY
In Chester County, we recently showed that management changes and increasing department sizes were direct factors in increased budgets. As the wealthiest county in the commonwealth per capita, the leaders in Chester County may never have needed to “do without” or “tighten their belts.” As with other counties, Chester had non-recurring funds flow into the county but they applied them to recurring expenses. Taxpayers are now paying the price.
LANCASTER COUNTY
Although Lancaster County’s budget is slightly smaller than the three collar counties mentioned here, Lancaster still has over 500,000 residents and is considered a large county. A big takeaway from the 2025 Lancaster County Budget is that the county decreased personnel, taking away 317 positions that were vacant or no longer needed. The county leaders are actively looking at ways to make the county function in a more efficient and effective way. We also note that the county does not rely heavily on federal and state grants to operate. This county will not be highly impacted if grant money dries up, something that Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester Counties fear. Lancaster County seems to be managed in a fiscally responsible manner, keeping in mind that the taxpayer is the boss.
Bottom line…
Like pigs at a trough, the Southeastern Pennsylvania county councils and commissioners just keep spending your tax dollars. Why? Because, there is an unlimited supply! When does it end? Change will come when “We the People” demand it of current leaders or elect different leaders!
As the Constitutional Convention ended in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked if the delegates produced a monarchy or a republic. Franklin replied, “a republic, if you can keep it.”
We are trying to keep this republic that we love and hold our representatives accountable to the people. Join us in that mission and share this Update with your contacts!
