Allentown council rejects amendment to reinstate 3.96% tax increase while cutting garbage fee

Allentown City Council on Monday rejected a sponsor amendment that would have reinstated a 3.96% property tax increase while cutting the city solid-waste fee by $50, a package supporters said would save most households money but opponents said relied on uncertain trade-offs.

The amendment—introduced by sponsors listed on the agenda as AFA, Hendricks and Santo—proposed a $50 reduction in the garbage fee and an interfund loan from the general fund of $2,000,000 to cover the shortfall. Supporters and administration staff said the loan would be repaid over five years, with first payments beginning in 2027, and estimated interest at roughly 3% (administration estimated interest around $421,000 over the term).

Sponsors argued the proposal would provide immediate relief to households. “By $50 off of the garbage fee will save a lot of people money,” the sponsor said during the dais discussion. Administration representatives said they ran parcel-level data across 26,000 residential parcels and found about 23,000 parcels would pay the same or less under the amendment compared with 2025.

Opponents said the amendment would still raise property taxes and that the council should pursue other revenue or internal savings. Councilwoman Mota said she supported reducing the garbage fee but would not back a property tax increase this year, citing her campaign promise to constituents. Councilwoman Gerlach argued the city should have pursued other institutional revenue options earlier—such as renegotiating contracts or considering impact fees—and said she would vote no.

Councilmember Napoli questioned repayment details and characterized the sponsor plan as a fallback to an earlier 4% tax plan; he said prior analysis showed the average Allentown homeowner would have paid about $23 a year under a 4% increase. An administration representative confirmed the proposed loan structure and repayment schedule during the discussion.

Several members of the public urged the council to protect seniors and renters and suggested alternative approaches to raise revenue. Betty Coller, a resident who identified her address for the record, urged a property-tax freeze for senior citizens. Another commenter, Quinn Allen, warned that a $50 cut to the garbage fee could be offset by a larger tax increase overall.

The clerk called the roll on the amendment: Miss Afa — Yes; Miss Gerlach — No; Miss Moda — No; Mister Napoli — Yes; Miss Santos — No; Mister Zukul — No; Mister Hendricks — Yes. The motion failed 3–4.

Next steps: the special meeting adjourned and council scheduled a short break before the regular council meeting. The regular budget adoption meeting was expected to follow later in the evening.