Lehigh County Commissioners passed an amended version of County Executive Bill Hansell's budget at their Oct. 24 meeting.

The amendment directed Hansell to reduce county spending on personnel by $5 million, and turned a $6.5 million, one-time tax credit into a reduction of the millage rate by a percentage that would decrease county revenue by $5 million.

The remaining $1.5 million will remain as a tax credit.

Commissioners Vic Mazziotti, Scott Ott, Lisa Scheller, Michael Schware and Thomas Creighton III voting in favor.

Commissioners Percy Dougherty, David Jones, Daniel McCarthy and Brad Osborne opposed the budget.

The vote followed three hours of public input on the budget, which Osborne split into segments of the general public and county employees.

Comments from the public were unanimously made in support of the amendment, lauding the commissioners for reducing taxes and spending.

Comments from county employees advocated the merit of the services they provide and pleaded with the board to reject the cuts.

Schware argued the case for the amendment.

"What we do here tonight is going to set up whether there is a tax increase in 2014 and 2015," Schware said. "A budget doesn't get blown in one year and all of a sudden we show up and get a tax increase; it is the effect of several years of failing to control spending.

"The choice tonight is to continue what the administration proposed and see those tax hikes in 2014 and 2015, or we take a more responsible path, make a portion of those tax cuts permanent and at the same time cut $5 million that is going to be carried into 2014 and beyond." Osborne argued against the amendment.

"This proposed amended budget passes up the opportunity to begin the process of defining what limited government looks like on a line-by-line, program-by-program basis," Osborne said. "It artificially distances commissioners from the consequences of our decision and it sets up a dangerous precedent that two co-equal branches of government don't have to talk to each other."

The amended budget now returns to Hansell, who may make written changes or veto it entirely.

Should either of those happen, the budget will return to commissioners for a second vote, which will require a majority plus one to overturn.