The Lancaster County Treasurer’s Office takes pride in being efficient, courteous and reserved. Although we are a small team, we are among the busiest in the county. We do not have time to pander or play politics, as our sole focus is serving all county residents. When your job includes trying to help people not lose their homes at tax sales, you receive a sobering reminder of why honest and forward-thinking government matters.
With the 2025 Lancaster County budget in the news, I have received emails and calls from concerned taxpayers. We live in a time when information is readily available, yet it is hard to discern fact from fiction. Our local news organizations, including LNP | LancasterOnline, have provided necessary and accurate county budget coverage — and opinions to the contrary defy reality.
Coming from a business background, I have struggled to understand why talking points, political rhetoric and stonewalling are the communication strategies some politicians choose. I come from a world where thorough analysis, frank discussions and solicitation of all stakeholder feedback are critical to moving an organization forward. I have learned from owning businesses that our unhappiest customer is often the most significant trainer in our continuous quest for operational improvements. People who disagree with you or raise concerns are not always your enemy — they frequently provide critical counterpoints that help you better understand and address complex problems.
In 2024, I had the privilege to take my “Let’s Talk Lancaster” series on the road. I met with hundreds of residents to discuss political polarization and hear what they want and expect from their elected officials. While there were disagreements along policy lines, the resounding feedback I received was that voters wanted their elected officials to tell them the good, the bad and a plan. Voters are tired of being manipulated, and they understand that mudslinging and demonizing those whom you view as “the other side” might make for good political theater, but it does nothing to move our county, state and country forward.
In the spirit of moving us forward, taxpayers deserve the good, the bad and a plan.
The good
We have quality people who work in county government, take their jobs seriously, and care about serving you well. Most departments and offices operate on lean budgets, and the proper thank-you for 12 years of no county tax increases is owed to the people in those departments and offices — not to elected officials. We have been blessed with longtime employees who have stuck with county government throughout the good and bad.
Lancaster County has historically benefited from our revenues outpacing our expenses — but those days are fading fast. Lancaster County could cover recent spending increases because we received $106 million in 2021 American Relief Plan Act funds, retained more than $31 million to cover county government expenses, and earned another $11,456,043 from interest and market appreciation off of investments of some of that federal stimulus money. Without those 2021 pandemic recovery funds, our county government’s budgetary day of reckoning would have come sooner.
The bad
The generation of Americans who were unquestionably loyal to their place of employment is retiring. Workers have options and are looking for better opportunities that do not involve the headaches associated with political strings. While staffing levels have somewhat rebounded, the county still has staffing challenges, and the loss of employees with historical knowledge is a concern.
The money the County of Lancaster has been using to fill budgetary gaps is rapidly depleting. This is not a complex math problem — the 2025 budget shows general fund revenues at $180,750,776 and expenses at $186,157,596. Furthermore, the anticipated revenue includes $6.6 million in interest, half of which was transferred from 2024. Even if spending stayed level, one-time budgetary plugs are going away.
A plan
My office’s budgetary role is restricted to collecting property taxes and investing the county’s funds — limiting me to only offering advice. The county needs to begin developing at least a five-year plan that focuses on:
1. Financial forecasting in the general and funded agencies' budget preparation processes that also establishes and tracks benchmarks and goals.
2. Monitoring inflationary indices.
3. Tracking and managing salary and wages to ensure each subsequent budget appropriately reflects and funds actual needed positions.
4. Incorporating and tracking a capital projects budget to monitor and plan for the useful life cycle of county assets.
5. Preplanning for anticipated increases on short- and long-term contracts.
6. Implementing and assessing performance strategies for managing health care costs and reimbursements.
7. Pricing internal services to include potential position consolidations and wage adjustments.
8. Measuring and reporting on the full costs of government services.
9. Requiring all budget presentations to plainly identify how recurring revenues are aligned with, or not aligned with, recurring expenditures.
10. And routinely reassessing fees for services.
I hope this information and these ideas help to jump-start a much-needed discussion that brings all parties to the table and lays the groundwork for Lancaster County’s continued success and prosperity. Our residents deserve nothing less.
Amber Martin, a Republican, is the elected county treasurer. She previously served as a Manor Township supervisor and Penn Manor school board director. She is also a local small business owner.
