Northampton County Executive John Brown warns that the county is in "fiscally troubled waters" that he inherited when he took office.

In a rare report to council at its Feb. 19 meeting, Brown pointed out that revenue from real estate taxes remains flat. Though additional revenues will come in as a result of one mill tax hike approved late last year, those monies will be set aside in order to build up the rainy day found.

Brown is also projecting a $9 million drop this year in inter-governmental revenue provided by the state and federal government to fund human services.

Though revenue is flat, Brown points to these "significant financial needs":

Gracedale - $14 million in capital improvements are needed.

Human Services Building - It will cost $14.5 million to buy in Year 5 of the lease.

A possible Cadillac tax, based on Obamacare, will be $9.4 million tax in 2018, unless things change.

$9.3 million in taxable bonds are coming due in 2019 and 2020, and will cost $7 million.

These four needs, all by themselves, will cost the county as much as $45 million in the next five years. This is without considering upgrades to the county's IT or the costs of maintaining or replacing a Civil War era jail.

Brown is proposing that the county save $9-11 million annually to gather the money needed.

He added that it's still too early to tell whether his reductions in health care coverage have saved any money. But those reductions may have contributed to 136 employees leaving last year, a record number. Brown conceded that this mass exodus cost the county $4 million in accumulated sick time and vacation time.