Pennsbury passes resolutions on money

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on July 21, 2016

Pennsbury Township supervisors Wednesday night passed two resolutions, one that could lead to the township spending money, the other that could lead to the township getting some.

The first resolution authorizes the township to join with Chester County in an attempt to ease 41 acres of land along Hillendale Road, property belonging to the Trammell family, George Trammell and Elizabeth Sullivan, according to solicitor Tom Oeste.

Oeste said the township is agreeing to pay up to $3,000 per acre, matching what the county would pay. However, the property has not yet been assessed. The $6,000 per acre figure is the maximum the county is willing to consider. If the land were assessed at a higher figure, the Trammells would need to offer an equal charitable contribution of land for the easement.

“We don’t know how much we’ll be asked to pay,” said Supervisor Charles “Scotty” Scottoline.

But fellow supervisor Aaron McIntyre quickly interjected that the $3,000 figure would be the minimum.

The resolution “expresses our intent to continue,” McIntyre said.

Scottoline added that that the township does not have to pursue the matter if the appraisal is too high.

At $3,000 per acre, the township would have to kick in a total of $123,000 for 41 acres.

The second resolution throws township support behind an amendment or repeal of the Sterling Act, a state law passed in the 1930s. That law gave Philadelphia the right to pass its City Wage Tax and allows the city to keep all the money collected, even if the worker lives outside the city, in a municipality that has its own income tax.

Pennsbury does have its own earned income tax and the supervisors want to join with the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors in an attempt to change the Sterling Act provision so the township can get at least some of the money Philadelphia takes from township residents.

Oeste said a change would bring in one percent of the money the city takes from Pennsbury residents — about $40,000 per year — for the township.

“That makes a lot of sense,” said McIntyre.

Scottoline readily agreed.

Both resolutions passed 2-0. Supervisor Wendell Fenton was absent.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.