Cambria County president judge approves commissioners’ tax hike request

EBENSBURG, Pa. – The Cambria County commissioners’ request for a millage increase above Pennsylvania’s statutory limit was approved Tuesday by Cambria County President Judge Linda Rovder Fleming.

“The Cambria County case presents a choice of the lesser of two evils: either increasing property taxes versus cutting important county services,” Fleming wrote in her decision. “Ultimately, the financial strain that property owners will bear from a millage increase is more rational than widespread service cuts that will affect the most vulnerable – children, the elderly, the addicted, persons with mental and behavioral health issues, crime victims and many others.”

She also noted that no tax increase will likely create a “domino effect” of eliminating a $9 million Tax and Revenue Anticipation Note, which hinges on her approval, and potentially further lowering the county’s credit rating with S&P Global.

Fleming described the millage increase as a “temporary fix to a long-term series of economic problems,” adding that the commissioners have an “unenviable task of maintaining county services in a declining economy.”

“Success will require fiscal responsibility, creative solutions and long-term planning,” she wrote. “The commissioners’ continued management of county resources during the financial crisis will affect the fate of all constituents – as well as their own.”

This ruling comes a day after Monday’s testimony from Cambria County Chief Clerk Alex Ashcom about the approved 2026 budget, and comments from a dozen community members who oppose the increase.

The budget includes a 6.75-mill increase – 5.5 mills for general use and 1.25 mills for debt service.

Approval from Common Pleas Court was needed to raise the general rate above Pennsylvania’s 25-mill cap to a total of 30 mills.

There is no limit on debt service, meaning the 1.25-mill increase to a total of 5.25 mills didn’t need approval.

Ashcom agreed with the judge’s ruling and the way she described the tax hike as the “lesser of two evils.”

“The county will continue to maintain services at levels required to serve our constituents,” he said. “While the pain of the tax is heard, understood and felt, the ship must be righted.

“The county, by way of staff and elected officials will continue to collaborate, create greater fiscal responsibility and innovate in governance.”

The total tax adjustment will result in an extra $7 per $1,000 in assessed value per year, according to the Cambria County Tax Assessment Office.

That equates to an additional nearly $72 per year for the average household and revenue generation of $5.8 million.

Board’s response

Commissioner Keith Rager said he understands the burden this puts on taxpayers, being one himself since 1982, and in response is advocating for an independent audit of county’s finances and critical examination of all allocations.

“We need to ask the tough questions about what is legally mandated versus what we choose to provide as services,” Rager said. “The loss of (COVID-19 pandemic)-era funding has created this situation across the state, and Cambria County is not immune to those impacts. Cambria County government must reflect the conservative values of its residents.”

Commissioner Thomas Chernisky, who was the sole dissenting vote on the 2026 budget because of the increase, also said every allocation should be “scrutinized and justified.”

Chernisky said he’d “demand clear returns on investments tied to county growth, economic development and quality of life” if he were president commissioner again.

“Every day would be a budget day, and there will be no hand-delivered contracts,” he said.

He alleged the rising taxes were “due to a lack of strategic planning” and described the move as the “Hunt tax increase.”

Chernisky said there is a better way of doing business: “Sharpen our pencils, exercise fiscal responsibility and commit to long-term planning to fix the county’s finances.”

Because the general use rate is above the state maximum the county will return to court annually to request a judge’s approval until its below 25 mills again.

President Commissioner Scott Hunt said the county will evaluate the tax rate each year in preparation for that proceeding and stressed that adjustments to the 2026 budget are not complete.

“We’re prepared to keep working on it and making cuts where we need to cut,” he said.

Future revenue generation mentioned in court included a solar array project to be constructed at the Cambria County Prison to offset utility costs; a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house prisoners for revenue; and around $600,000 in annual interest gained due to general fund accounts moved to another bank.

During Monday’s hearing with Fleming, Cambria County Solicitor Ronald Repak questioned Ashcom about the tax hike and 2026 budget.

The purpose of his testimony was to justify the increase levied to help cover a gap between estimated general fund revenues and expenses in the 2026 budget, which is balanced at $68.7 million.

“I have worked many hours, dozens of hours, with the commissioners and … staff to create the best budget we can,” Ashcom testified.

Despite that, without making “draconian cuts” – which Ashcom said is not recommended – the increase was the only path forward.

No adjustment would likely result in eliminating every non-critical department in the county, Ashcom said, which could include slashing 10% to 20% of the workforce. There are roughly 600 full- and part-time county employees across 32 departments.

“It’s been a difficult task to even get where we are now,” Ashcom said.

‘Difficult task’

Charts exhibited in court showed Cambria County experienced a 30% increase in inflation throughout the past 10 years; assessed property values recently decreased to 2016 rates; and revenues have declined “while expenses have jumped” in the past 11 years.

Because of the financial situation, S&P Global decreased the county’s bond rating in December from an A to BBB+ and said in its report that not increasing taxes could cause further financial instability.

Residents who opposed the millage hike shared three common themes in their comments – concerns with higher tax bills, requests the judge not approve the increase, and asking the county to do more to cut expenses.

“If we allow this tax increase, we’re not really solving a problem,” former Commissioner Douglas Lengenfelder said.

Carissa Itle Westrick, Vale Wood Farms’ director of business development, said the additional taxes – about $3.40 more per acre of assessed agricultural land – would mean hard decisions for the farmers in the county.

Ace’s owner Dustin Greene described the county’s budget as wasteful and criticized the commissioners for not doing more to avoid the troublesome financial situation.

Fleming addressed these concerns in her order, describing the comments as valuable and noted business owners and farmers will “pay a proportionally greater share of the tax hike” and that there is an additional risk if that increase will be passed on to consumers.

John DeBartola, a community activist, also addressed the court about his denied motions to have Fleming recused and to block the increase, as well as the millage jump overall.

‘Serious times’Ed Cernic Jr., county controller, held a press conference after the hearing to address the matter. He alleged that if the commissioners had collaborated more with department heads, including himself, this funding issue likely could have been avoided.

Cernic, a Democrat, was critical of Hunt and his leadership and of Commissioner Keith Rager, the Republican majority on the commissioners’ board, and said that “serious times deserve serious attention.”

As a step forward, Cernic suggested cutting 10% from all county appropriations to start and exploring a 10% reduction of each county department to examine how that may impact operations.

Cambria County allocates $4.3 million annually to 20 groups, such as Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and the Cambria County Transit Authority.

Cernic described the tax increase as needed now because the county has borrowed itself “into a hole,” but said he believes, based on his 22 years of experience as controller, that curtailing spending is the solution to the county’s woes.

“We’ve got to have stability,” Cernic said. “There comes a point in time where you have to say enough is enough.”