ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley plans a March town hall at which he says he'll explain the “direct and immediate local consequences” of a Republican-led push for spending and tax cuts worth trillions of dollars.
The town hall is scheduled for 3 p.m. March 11 in Lehigh County Government Center. The initial announcement said the town hall would be March 12.
Residents do not have to register for the event, but officials are asking them to RSVP for planning purposes. The initial announcement said the town hall would be March 12.
The U.S. House by a 217-215 vote on Tuesday night passed a budget resolution that calls for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, while reducing federal spending about $2 trillion over the next 10 years.
“Although these decisions are made at the federal level, they will have direct and immediate local consequences, impacting county services, healthcare access and financial planning."Controller Mark Pinsley
All but one Republican supported the measure; U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, joined all Democrats in voting against it.
The resolution does not enact those cuts, but set the stage for potentially significant changes to Medicaid funding, Pinsley said Wednesday.
That would “directly affect local healthcare services” at places such as nursing homes — including the county-owned Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab facility, and other facilities in the county that serve more than 2,500 patients, he said.
“Although these decisions are made at the federal level, they will have direct and immediate local consequences, impacting county services, healthcare access and financial planning,” Pinsley said.
Make interaction easy as possible
Pinsley urged residents to attend the town hall because “voters and community leaders need to understand how local government may need to navigate potential changes in federal funding.”
Pinsley noted that it’s campaign season again for municipal and countywide offices.
Lehigh County gets about $375 million each year in state and federal funding that it uses to pay for public safety, the Cedarbrook facility and services for food assistance and disabled children, among other programsLehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley
The controller last week said he plans to publish a series of “plain-language reports” about how billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to cut the federal government will affect local municipalities, services and programs.
Lehigh County gets about $375 million each year in state and federal funding that it uses to pay for public safety, the Cedarbrook facility and services for food assistance and disabled children, among other programs, Pinsley said.
The first report in the series — called “Lehigh County: The DOGE Effect" — is likely to be published in early March, Pinsley told LehighValleyNews.com.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this report included an incorrect date for Pinsley's town hall.
