In the most taxing, arduous borough meeting of the year, Fountain Hill council faced off with its citizens over the new budget crises. For almost two hours, the meeting endured rapid-fire questioning, long-winded anecdotes from nearly every man, woman and child in the room, and impassioned outbursts from council member Helen Halleman at regular intervals.

The story goes that as the state raises its taxes on public services such as sanitation, electricity, plumbing, police enforcement and other such necessities, so must the borough. Unfortunately, the tax raise comes to a 27 percent increase. On top of the taxes, Fountain Hill’s Public Works building is in dire need of either repair or replacement. But either to renovate or buy a new building would cost a staggering $600,000.

Council Member Norman Blatt said among all the frustration that, “I’m not happy with a 27 percent tax increase… but I don’t see a choice… we are going to have to take some hard choices.”

The situation worsens when the tax income only comes from 60 percent of the community; the other 40 percent being tax-exempt organizations such as schools, churches and huge property owner St. Luke’s University Hospital. Without an entire 2/5 of the community contributing financially, this new budget grows more disastrous for residents already struggling to make ends meet.

“If I pay 300-plus dollars, I will be homeless!” shouted Halleman, a single homeowner.

But the rest of council members said they felt powerless to stop the onslaught: “All these costs are dictated by the state… we are locked in with these costs!” council member Fred Capuano said.

Then hours of fighting and talking ensued. Speakers on the floor, the citizens of Fountain Hill, sought to work around the heavy cost of the Public Works building.

Tears were shed and names were called, but in the end, Capuano had only this to say, “Good discussion, but we still have to vote on a budget.”

By that point, it seemed anyone in that room would have gladly traded places with council member Douglas D. Trotter Jr., who couldn’t attend that evening’s meeting because he was in surgery.