October 31, 2024

Proposed business tax hike in CF

Screenshot — A breakdown of who gets what from a Chadds Ford tax dollar.

It’s budget time again and Chadds Ford Township supervisors want to increase what the township gives to the Concordville Fire & Protection Association. They think they found a way to do so without increasing property millage rates, but businesses could pay more.

Township Finance Director Laura Lim gave a presentation on a draft of the 2025 budget at the Oct. 30 supervisors’ work session. The proposal is to increase the annual Business Privilege Tax by 100 percent, doubling the annual BPT from $100 to $200. All of that additional money would be earmarked for the fire company.

Raising the BPT to $200 per year allows the township to increase its contribution to the fire company to $150,000, though Concordville had requested $223,000 from Chadds Ford.

Options to increase fire protection contribution from Chadds Ford Township.

(The township increased its contribution for 2024 to $100,000, up from the previous contributions of $65,000. The fire company had requested $189,000.)

During the discussion, Rob King, a member of the Open Space Committee and the owner of Chadds Ford Tree Service said, “I look for ways to avoid taxes, but this is for a good cause so I’m OK with it.”

Further discussion included the possibility of a larger hike in the business tax.

Lim said the township had four options, with one being just an increase in the BPT. Other options included raising the business tax by 75 percent, while another option would increase the township’s fire tax by 8 percent and a BPT increase of 75 percent. Each option considered would bring the township’s contribution to $150,000.

Supervisors’ Chairman Samantha Reiner said she originally favored the last option, but changed her mind and said she could support the BPT increase to $200.

But that was not the final thought on the matter. Supervisors Timotha Trigg and Kathleen Goodier each said they wanted to see what would happen if the township raised the BPT to $225 or $250. Both are interested in getting the contribution beyond $150,000.

“I need the fire company to be in a place where they’re comfortable [financially],” Goodier said.

After some quick calculations, Lim said raising the BPT to $225 would bring the contribution to $163,000 while raising it to $250 would get it to $177,000.

During the rest of the discussion, Lim said the 2025 budget proposal is balanced with revenues and expenses anticipated at slightly less than $1.5 million.

Again, there’s no planned increase in property tax millage. Those rates would remain as they are, 0.6247 mills in areas with fire hydrants, and 0.5577 mils without hydrants. (A mil is a tax of $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property value.)

Lim said the anticipated revenue is $140,000 more than in 2024 and called that “a healthy revenue speculation.”

Township Manager Lacey Faber said the township is looking forward to 2025. She said $285,000 has been earmarked for stormwater infrastructure repairs. Major projects include a 150-foot pipelining on Ridings Boulevard and a culvert and storm pipe replacement on Rocky Hill Road. She added that work is expected to begin on enhancing safe pedestrian accessibility as part of the Walkable Chadds Ford project and that there are preservation measures planned for Mother Archie’s Corner at Ring and Bullock roads.

The proposed budget is expected to be discussed again during the Nov. 6 Board of Supervisors’ meeting. If supervisors agree, the budget would then be advertised and open for public inspection before a vote in December.

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.

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Letter: Casey cares

Opinion

I have advocated for improvements to veteran healthcare in the past decade. U.S. Sen. Toomey’s office was abysmal, but Sen. Casey’s office was fantastic. Casey’s office was always supportive and proactive on the issue, trying to work across the aisle to address the invisible wounds of toxic exposures. With his support and leadership, we finally passed the largest veterans healthcare bill in decades, the PACT Act.

I appeared in one of Casey’s TV ads earlier this year, and I wanted to convey the criticality of electing a senator who cares for the well-being of ordinary Pennsylvanians. When the PACT Act was briefly defeated, Republican senators were filmed fist-bumping each other on the Senate floor. Sick and dying veterans were pleading for help outside the building, and those senators were celebrating.

Caring for the war wounded is a sacred responsibility; what about when Social Security or Medicare are up on the chopping block? Will they be fist-bumping?

Bob Casey is a real Pennsylvanian who fights for real Pennsylvanians; I know, I have lived it.

Chad Baer
East Marlborough Township

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

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Around Town Oct. 31

Along the Ford

Critter_TeaselReindeer copy — It's Critter time again.

• The Brandywine Museum of Art is getting ready to launch another Holiday Critter Sale. It starts Nov. 21v and goes through Nov. 24. Visitors can shop unique, handcrafted ornaments and tabletop decorations made from all-natural materials by our dedicated and talented volunteers. Critter-maker volunteers work with natural materials such as pinecones, acorns, egg shells, flowers and seed pods to give each Critter its own unique personality and expression. Prices range from $10 to $35, with specialty items from $50 to $250. All sales are credit card only. The sale will be held on the second floor of the Museum in the Waterview Room.

Nov. 9 is the night for the annual Veterans’ Day oldies dance in Concord Township.

• Concord Township Parks and Recreation Department will hold its Veterans’ Day Dance and Social from 7-10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the BYC Gym, 41 Thornton Road. Admission is free and open to all.

4-H Air Pistol participant, Maanya Malik, practices her aim. (Courtesy image)

• The Chester County 4-H is holding a Shooting Sports Program for youngsters 8-18 years of age where they can learn the skills and discipline of shooting sports. This program emphasizes safe handling of firearms and archery equipment while fostering self-confidence and leadership skills in a supportive environment designed for positive youth development. Shotgun, Archery, and Air Pistol. Each club is limited to fifteen members. For more information about the Chester County Shooting Sports program, feel free to contact the Chester County 4-H office at 610-696-3500 or chesterext@psu.edu.

• Delaware County has opened an Election Satellite Center in Chester Heights. Open until election day, this office is available to assist voters with their voting needs. They are open Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Sat, Sun: 9:30 a.m. noon. (This office will not be open on Election Day.) The office is at the Chester Heights Office Building, 53 W. Baltimore Pike. For more election & voter information, visit delcopa.gov/vote. The Delaware County Election Hotline: 610-891-VOTE (8683). Election day is this coming Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Cap: Detail from the flag for Lincoln’s first campaign 1860 (Image from CCHC)

• The Chester County History Center has a new exhibit running through Nov. 30. Campaign! Slogans and trinkets are remnants of the energy and emotion that fueled U.S. presidential campaigns from the earliest elections. As more people became eligible to vote, campaign promotions used every tool available. Sarcastic, clever, straightforward, colorful. View how these tchotchkes reflect their time, the issues, and differing opinions.