In an attempt to reduce costs, Northampton County Executive John Brown has unilaterally imposed sharp reductions in the health care programs offered to employees. He has told them to expect reductions in other benefits as well, and no increases in salaries.

Helping Brown is Deputy Director of Administration Cathy Allen, who has taken the Brown line in union negotiations. Ironically, while demanding that employees make do with less, Brown and Allen have charged taxpayers about $1,500 for daily commutes and other questionable expenses.

Concerns about these expenses were made known last week to The Bethlehem Press, which immediately referred the matter to the Northampton County Controller Steve Barron. A Right-to-Know request has been filed with the County.

The reports obtained by Barron reveal that Brown only sought reimbursements from January through April. During this time, he charged for a four-mile round trip to the West Easton Treatment Center. He would charge for his entire trip from his residence in Bangor by making stops at diners or Gracedale. He charged for commutes when he had meetings at nearby places like the State Theatre or Gracedale. He also charged taxpayers for a visit with his publicist, a trip to a Pennsylvania Society event and the St. Patrick's Day parade in Bethlehem.

"Clearly, waving in a parade serves no county business purpose and is more about political self-promotion," said Barron, a Democrat who has sparred with Republican Brown over consultant contracts. Both have accused each other of playing politics.

Allen has submitted expense reports through at least September. She stops at

Gracedale or Human Services Building on her way to the courthouse, and then bills

taxpayers for her entire trip from Bangor. Though employees are strictly

forbidden from charging meals to the county unless they are more than 50 miles

away, she did so twice in June, and from local eateries.

In Allegheny County, Controller Chelsa Wagner recently accused County Executive Rich Fitzgerald of abusing his mileage, just as being done here. Fitzgerald

dismissed the whole thing as "petty." But he returned his county car and repaid $42,700.

Though $1,500 in taxpayer money is a small item in a $340-million government, Barron believes the issue is important. He argues that if the executive and one of his appointees seek travel expenses for their daily commutes, it won't be long before every employee starts to do so.

Former Northampton County Executive John Stoffa said he never sought reimbursement for mileage, except for the annual County Commissioners' Conference. Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, who is often pulled from his bed at 3 a.m. to travel to

homicide investigations, never charges for mileage except for the annual

prosecutors' conference. He won't even allow his part-time assistants to charge mileage when they attend a preliminary hearing.

Director of Administration Luis Campos responded to these accusations with a prepared statement:

"The Administration budgets for travel and expense reimbursements. At times meetings can be held at off County Office locations. The County's policy for travel and expense reimbursement is in line with IRS and auditor's guidelines. If there is an inadvertent error, practice is to correct the expense appropriately."