How Delaware County plans to reduce spending in 2026 — and beyond

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After months of deliberation, the Cost Containment Subcommittee of the Delaware County Budget Task Force has debuted a number of cost-saving measures.

From consolidating contracts and reforming benefits for county employees to decommissioning unused lines and phasing out old technology, officials in Pennsylvania’s second-densest county said they are tightening the belt straps.

The county has already begun seeing positive results, according to Deputy Executive Director Marc Woolley. He was admittedly “not a fan” of the entire process when it first started.

Woolley figured that bickering among committee members would undermine real progress. He said he has since done a “180.”

“I think it changed people’s views of government and government service,” Woolley said during  a presentation at Wednesday’s Delaware County Council meeting. “This was probably the most impactful project that I’ve been involved in since I’ve been here.”

The process began when hemorrhaging coffers amid inflation forced county officials to find ways to save money while lessening taxpayers’ burden — all while still delivering effective services.

The Budget Task Force held its final public meeting Monday. The Cost Containment Subcommittee will provide a final presentation and roadmap report for cost savings in December.

“The money our taxpayers invest in their government isn’t just a collection of dollars,” Vice Council Chair Richard Womack said. “It represents common interests and common dreams. We have a responsibility to treat that as something precious and spend it wisely on your behalf.”

Property tax hike compels Delaware County to rethink budget

In December 2024, County Council levied a 23% property tax hike to drum up revenue and offset rising costs following years of minimal or no tax increases. Womack was the lone “no” vote.

The average household in the county saw an annual increase of $185 on their tax bill. About one-third of homeowners saw a hike of less than $100.

Angry residents lambasted the County Council as fiscally irresponsible, criticizing a number of costly reforms, including the deprivatization of George W. Hill Correctional Facility and the establishment of the Delaware County Health Department.

County Council, at Womack’s behest, established a budget task force soon thereafter to evaluate options to dodge further financial hardship — and lessen the burden on taxpayers.

According to Womack, more than 60 members of the public participated in the task force, which was broken up into four subcommittees: budget presentation, capital investments, cost containment and revenue enhancement.

“As we move into another difficult budget year, it’s worth remembering a few things,” Womack said. “Unlike our federal and state partners, we at the county level cannot choose dysfunction. As an operating principle, we have to pass and implement a budget that makes hard choices and balances the work we have to do for our residents with the work our residents can afford to fund.”

What does cost containment mean for Delaware County?

Some of the more interesting decisions fell at the feet of the Cost Containment Subcommittee.

The group met seven times since its inception to evaluate data and budgets as well as gather input from key county officials and department leaders.

“The scope was to get to be introduced to various departments and our approach was to be pragmatic in what we thought we could offer and what we could demand of our department heads,” Woolley said. “In the end, we want to be able to stabilize costs, to protect core services and then reinvest any savings in the work force and in our infrastructure.”

The members also toured some county facilities.

“What we noticed from our conversations with department heads is that most of what the committee thought would be low-hanging fruit for cost containment was already being implemented in some form by the county,” Woolley said.

For example, the county was already using a centralized purchasing method to obtain basic supplies. But through further deliberation, the subcommittee was able to identify areas where the county could save money.

Things as simple as cutting unused fax and telephone lines will likely save Delaware County upwards of $70,000 per month. The county dishes out about $1 million annually on copiers and $100,000 on paper. Officials are working to slash those figures by 20%.

Reimagining how the county funds and sustains its fleet of more than 400 old, mileage-burdened vehicles could bring additional savings, Woolley said.

Some conversations about spending, however, devolved into “very heated discussions.” Woolley specifically pointed to the debate about the county’s outside legal counsel.

“There are a lot of things that drive legal fees and it kind of ebbs and flows. As a former general counsel for a large organization, I know this,” Woolley said.

Woolley said the county’s new solicitor will now be reviewing legal expenditures to figure out when they should contract outside counsel and the scenarios they should hire their own attorneys.

Council insists Delaware County has a ‘revenue problem’

A few recommendations are still under review, particularly those regarding the George W. Hill Correctional Facility. Reducing prison staff overtime and utilizing more telemedicine are seen as “high desirability” options for cost cutting.

“One of our recommendations that is currently under discussion is the ability for the county to require inmates with medical insurance to use that medical insurance instead of having the county bear the cost burden for the inmates’ health care,” Woolley said.

The county is mulling using the gun range on the prison’s premises to draw in more revenue. Wolley emphasized that many of these ideas were the result of cross-pollination from other subcommittees.

Each of the five council members applauded the work of the residents involved in the subcommittee and that of the department heads.

“I’m grateful to all the people who took the time to get educated and share their experience and dig into what we’re doing and make recommendations, because we’re better with all of your help,” Councilmember Christine Reuther said.

She insisted Delaware County’s primary problem goes beyond just spending decisions.

“It’s not the expenses that are the problem sometimes,” Reuther said, citing County Controller Joanne Phillips. “Where’s the revenue? We’ve got a revenue problem.”

During Monday’s meeting, the Revenue Enhancement Subcommittee made a number of recommendations to the public, including improving the fee collection process, leasing county-owned property for private use and engaging in a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service to house federally held nonviolent offenders at the county prison.

“Moving forward, our budget task force has done an incredible work that will live on — not just in the suggestions and ideas that make their way into our budget for 2026, but in the benefits that will compound year after year,” Womack said.