More talks, more sniping from Montco commissioners

The announced purpose of Tuesday's meeting was to bring together Montgomery County's commissioners and row officers to discuss a countywide ethics policy and a looming $35 million budget gap.

But for three years, dysfunctional politics has defined, and many times derailed, the agendas of the three commissioners. So when their finger-pointing and name-calling started anew Tuesday, some row officers threatened to walk out.

"Is this what it's all about?" asked Clerk of Courts Ann Thornburg Weiss.

"If you're not going to talk about the budget, we will come back. This is ridiculous," Prothonotary Mark Levy said. "I'm here for two reasons - the budget, and to make sure no taxes are raised this year. . . . Let's stop the B.S. and move on."

The episode underscored the battles - political and financial - that the county faces passing a 2011 budget in the coming months.

The commissioners, all of whom face reelection next year, are considering pulling $20 million from reserves to help fill the shortfall, but are reluctant to reverse plans for a cost-of-living raise for nearly 4,000 county employees. The remaining $15 million, they say, will have to come from higher taxes, lower costs, or both.

Commissioners Chairman James Matthews estimated that a tax increase of $90 per household - about the price of a Phillies playoff ticket, he said - might balance the budget. It would be the county's first tax increase in a decade.

"I don't want to raise taxes - you think I'm an idiot?" Matthews said. "But I'm not going to let go a third or a fourth of our workforce."

Weiss said she found it hard to cut her budget every year. "I just don't understand how the people can get the services and not pay for them," she said.

"You get it," Matthews said.

"I'm talking to the other two," she told him, "because you need another vote."

That's the rub.

A Republican, Matthews alienated some in his party by teaming with Democrat Joseph Hoeffel to block fellow Republican Bruce L. Castor Jr. from the chairman's seat.

But Hoeffel, who is likely to cast the deciding budget vote, has been slow to embrace a tax increase. First he wants to see a 5 percent spending cut for every department, he says.

Treasurer Tom Ellis said that without cutting staff, "I know we can't get there." He said he wanted the commissioners' guidance on layoffs.

Hoeffel would not bite.

"You guys hire and fire and supervise," he said. "I think that should come from you."

Castor, a former prosecutor, was the leading vote-getter in the last election but has been neutralized on the board. These days, he and his fellow GOP commissioner are as likely to exchange invective as greetings.

Tuesday's meeting was nearly cut short when Matthews referred to Castor's role as a defense witness in the corruption trial of former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo. He also threatened, again, to haul out e-mails that he says demonstrate how Castor pressured his underlings at the District Attorney's Office to help his political campaign.

Castor chortled loudly, noting that they had reached "the crux of this entire meeting, which is a political attack on me."

"You're a sick bastard," Matthews sneered. "I'm not some hyena up here making things up."

Castor shot back: "You wouldn't know the truth if it jumped up and bit you in the bottom." Then he renewed his claim that Matthews had improperly recorded a campaign commercial in his county office.