In December 2009, County Commissioner Scott Martin told NewsLanc that, in his opinion, the board of commissioners should consider cutting the annual urban enhancement fund for 2010, citing an already-strapped County budget and as-yet-unspent allocations from previous years. At the Wednesday, February 24 commissioners meeting, Martin maintained that position by voting against the $2 million program for 2010.
Commissioners Craig Lehman and Dennis Stuckey both voted in favor of the motion, noting that the reduced allocation, the smaller project match rate, and the tightened guidelines for 2010 show a sufficient response to the County’s financial challenges.
The urban enhancement program allocates sizable grants to county municipalities with the purpose of “sustaining the urban areas of Lancaster County to accommodate growth.” In 2009, the County handed out grants totaling $2.5 million. The allocations ranged from highly practical uses, such as sewer system upgrades or handicapped accessibility improvements, to more questionable ones, such as $20,000 for a Lancaster City streetcar feasibility study.
Martin said that, having seen County employees face layoffs and stagnant incomes, he felt compelled to resist this measure of discretionary spending.
“Though, obviously, what can be used in capital dollars versus what’s used in operational dollars can vary, at the end of the day, what you borrow impacts your general fund,” Martin asserted, “If we keep borrowing at the rate that we’re borrowing, we’re looking at a 14% increase in our debt service next year. And, if you look at any other thing that we’re doing here at County government, there’s not another thing that has increased by 14%.”
Martin also gave the sole dissenting vote regarding a measure to grant $475,000 to the Lancaster County Conservancy for its on-going effort to secure an 870-acre nature preserve and recreation area in the Welsh Mountains.
Over $180k saved with discount drug cards
Also at the Wednesday meeting, Angela Eichelberger, coordinator of the Lancaster County Prescription Drug Discount Program, presented the accomplishments of the effort in its first seven months. Since it’s introduction, the program has saved county residents $186,302.27 on prescription medications not covered by their insurance.
The cards are available free of charge to county residents at a variety of locations, including county offices, municipalities, libraries, community centers, and pharmacies. To benefit from the savings—an average of 22% off—residents need only present the card at a participating pharmacy.
The free program is administered by CVS/Caremark and available to all members of the National Association of Counties (NACo). Participating local pharmacies can be located here through the NACo website.
