| Local Real Estate News (Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties) Chester Phoenixville receives $250,000 grant for downtown streetscape Congressman Jim Gerlach contacted Main Street Manager Barry Cassidy on Dec. 15 to confirm that $250,000 was secured for additional funding toward Phoenixville's downtown streetscape project. The federal grant will be used to do work on the development of the Barto property. Since the Barto property currently does not have on-street parking, the grant will go toward widening the street and adding another lane. When completed, the property will include 38,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, 448 residential units, and structured, shared parking in two 13-story mix-used towers. Source: Daily Local; 1/1/10 Forum examines Phoenixville Borough's economic future Lisa Longo, owner of Earth Mart on Longo began the informal meeting of state, regional and local government representatives, as well as borough residents and merchants, by defining economic development. She said economic development, job creation and a reduction in crime can only occur when three key elements are in place, including: education, infrastructure and incentives. Among the concerns brought up at the meeting was poor communication among various organizations in the borough, including the Phoenixville Economic Development Corporation, Phoenixville Area Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Community Development Corp. and Borough Council. Source: Daily Local; 1/2/10 Brandywine Valley YMCA officials will support the Kennett Area branch's participation in the $30 million Kennett Square Community Development Plan. Only the Barnard Taylor Library stands in the way of a collaborative effort that planners say will increase commerce in Source: Daily Local; 1/4/09 Downingtown Borough's staffing, taxes under review Downingtown Borough officials unanimously approved a 2010 budget Wednesday night but will likely revisit the budget this month after council reorganizes. Because the borough has new elected officials waiting to be seated, Councilwoman-elect Ann Feldman and Mayor-elect Josh Maxwell, council may reopen budget discussions and make changes. The budget approved by council Wednesday increased taxes by 0.6 mills, from 6.1 to 6.7 mills. The average homeowner in Downingtown will now pay about $670 per year, compared to $610 in 2009. Source: Daily Local; 1/5/09 Coatesville City Council placed City Manager Harry Walker on administrative leave and removed Andrew Lehr as city solicitor at Monday afternoon's annual reorganization. These decisions came after the swearing-in of four newly elected Democratic council members: Jarrell Brazzle, Joseph Hamrick, Ingrid Jones and Karl Marking. Shortly after the vote was taken to remove Lehr, Marking made a motion to appoint attorney John Carnes as solicitor. Carnes is a solicitor in Parkesburg and Source: Daily Local; 1/5/10 Easttown board approves budget with 12 percent tax hike Source: Developer is picked for Paoli Master Plan Development of the Paoli rail yards, 20 acres in Tredyffrin and Source: Swarthmore passes budget Swarthmore Borough Council passed the 2010 budget that calls for a 5.2 percent tax increase. The millage rate will be set at 4,870 mills, or $1,217 for the property assessed at $250,000. The borough office will now be closed on Fridays, although responses to emergencies will still be handled. Source: Daily Times; 1/6/10 Thornbury adopts 2010 budget The Thornbury Board of Supervisors adopted a $1.851 million 2010 budget at its municipal meeting. Unlike most communities, the township does not impose a municipal real estate tax. The budget reflects a 15 percent decrease in expenditures, down from $2.189 million in 2009. Chairman Jim Raith noted that the ultimate goal is to increase services while keeping cost low. Source: Daily Times; 12/22/09 Ridley Township Commissioners approved a final budget for 2010 requiring a real estate millage rate of 8.016 mills, an increase of 0.750 mills. The new real estate millage translates into $8.10 for each $1,000 of assessed property valuation. For a house with the average assessment of $100,000, the tax bill next year will increase by about $75. Added to that will be an annual trash collection free increase of $35 to $150 per dwelling and a sewer fee increase of $30 to $230 per dwelling. Source: Daily Times; 12/26/09 Residents challenging validity of Garrett Hill committee A resident of the Garrett Hill section of Source: Rose Valley Borough Council voted to approve a 14 percent increase in real estate taxes, from 1.55 mills to 1.77 mills. The typical tax bill will increase about $50 from $350 to $408. Source: Daily Times; 12/25/09 Clifton Heights Council adopted its $2.178 million budget at a recent meeting, calling for a 4.5 percent tax increase. The millage rate will increase from 11.001 mills to 11.501 mills. Homeowners with an average valuation of $80,000 will pay an additional $36 per year compared to 2009. Refuse collection and disposal fees will increase by $10 to $210 per year while the sewer rental fee remains the same at $282. Source: Daily Times; 1/4/09 Thornbury residents: Sewer project stinks Many residents in Thornbury are upset over an extimated $11,000 cost per homeowner to install a sewer system in the Thornhill and Brinton Lee development, but most agree it is necessary. The estimated cost is between $10,740 and $11,365 per homeowner for infrastructure and installation respectively for 162 properties. Included in the infrastructure price tag is the $2,600 fee per equivalent daily use (EDU) that the Concord Township Sewer Authority charges. Homeowners will be billed about $125 per quarter for usage costs. The estimated cost of installation includes the grinder pump at about $3,640, which is necessary for the low pressure sewer line. Construction is slated for May, with an anticipated completion date of February 2011. Source: Daily Times; 12/26/09 Parkside faces tax increase for fifth consecutive year Parkside Borough Council approved the final 2010 municipal budget that will require a 9 percent property increase to balance. Next year will mark the fifth consecutive year Parkside residents have been dealt a tax hike. The 2010 budget calls for a 0.7 mill property tax increase. The 2010 real estate tax rate will be 8.36 mills. For property owners assessed at $75,000, the tax increase will translate to paying an additional $52.50 in borough tax next year. Source: Daily Times; 12/22/09 For the first time, the Source: The real estate millage in Source: The Times Herald; 12/23/09 Taxes increase for Ambler Borough Residents in Ambler will see their municipal real estate tax rise to 5.54 mills from the 2009 rate of 4.94 mills. This will translate to about $60 more for the average home assessed at $100,000. Supervisors cited decreased revenues as the main reason for the tax hike. Source: The Times Herald; 12/23/09 North Wales Borough recently approved the 2010 budget which includes no tax increase. The real estate tax will remain at 2.676 mills. The budget was balanced, however, by allowing the borough to use up to $313,000 of reserve funds. In other news, Source: The Times Herald; 12/23/09 & 12/31/09 Narberth taxes up in 2010 Narberth Borough Council recently passed a budget which included an 8.6 percent hike in municipal real estate taxes. The 2010 tax rate is 8.57 mills. The average home in Narberth is assessed at $250,000, which means a tax of $2,143, an increase of $171 over 2009. Source: The Hatfield Township Supervisors recently finalized a budget that increased the tax rate from 1.6375 to 2.54 mills, but with the passage of Act 50, allows at least 54 percent of township homeowners to receive a $55,000 reduction in their home assessment. The budget is designed to generate more revenue from businesses and expensive homes in the township. An assessed home of $145,570 will see a tax bill of $230, a reduction of $15 over last year. Homes assessed at more than $300,000 will see a tax increase of $125 to $492. This category of homes includes about 3% of the township. To view the 2010 budget information for Source: The Intelligencer; 12/23/09 After lengthy discussions and with a 9-5 vote, the Source: Affordable housing ordinance discussed in In an effort to make living in Source: Chester Cost of living to rise in It will cost anywhere from $500 to $1,200 more to live in Kennett Square next year, if the proposed budget is adopted next month. The bottom line: Taxes will go up one mill (or amount of tax per thousand dollars of property value); water costs for residents will increase an average of $60 per year; sewer costs will increase an average of $65 per year; and it will now cost residents $220 annually to dispose of their trash. Trash disposal had been free. The proposed $4.6 million budget would keep services at about the same level. Wages of non-uniformed employees will be frozen in 2010, and all capital outlay in the general fund has been removed except for one new police car. The borough is exploring the possibility of selling its water system to Aqua or the Chester Water Authority. The residential rates for water could go up if Aqua took over the water system, and down if Chester Water Authority took it over, but the borough would receive a windfall that could be applied to the general fund. The budget will be reviewed at the Dec. 7 meeting. Source: Chester County Press; 11/18/09 West Chester Council approves preliminary budget West Chester Borough Council passed a preliminary 2010 budget that calls for a 3.4 percent real estate tax increase. The budget also calls for a 10 percent increase in the borough's sewer rate. Various Council committees will review the preliminary budget in December, and full council will pass a final budget by the end of the year. It appears that the tax hike, which will result in a $23 increase on average residential tax bills, is a near certainty. The economic crisis has strained the borough's finances and made a tax increase hard to avoid, borough officials said. West Chester, like most Chester County municipalities, is facing rising pension, salary and employee benefit costs. At the same time, the recession has caused the borough's earned income tax and real estate transfer tax revenues to decline. The preliminary budget would increase the average borough homeowner's tax bill to $689, approximately $23 over last year's average. The average single-family home in the borough has an assessed value of $119,000, and the average tax increase was calculated using this figure. Source: Daily Local; 11/19/09 No new taxes needed to meet W. Nottingham's 2010 budget No new taxes are needed for 2010 to meet West Nottingham Township's proposed budget, approved at its Nov 17 meeting. The new budget totals $574,550, with the largest areas of expenses being $152,450 for road work and road crew salaries, and $64,200 for police department salaries and equipment. The budget is open for public review, with final approval set for December. Source: Daily Local; 11/21/09 West Chester Borough allows subdivision of courthouse complex West Chester Borough Council cleared the way for Chester County to sell a large portion of the historic courthouse complex by voting unanimously to subdivide the complex into two parcels. The first parcel contains the 19th-century courthouse, the fountain behind it, and the Market Street annex to its west. The second parcel contains the annex on North High Street, the annex on North Church Street, and several buildings along the unit block of West Gay Street. It is the second parcel that the county will put on the market. Attorney Don Turner, who represents the county, said that selling this parcel will allow the county to continue to preserve the historic courthouse. Source: Daily Local; 11/22/09 Easttown real estate taxes may increase 12.1 percent Easttown Township's Board of Supervisors voted for a preliminary 2010 budget Monday that calls for a real estate tax increase of 12.1 percent. The average assessed property value in Easttown Township is $330,000. In 2009 an owner of a property with that assessed value would have paid $1,109 in real estate taxes to the township. In 2010, if the preliminary version of the budget is approved, that owner would pay about $1,240. The Board of Supervisors will approve the final 2010 budget at its Dec. 21 meeting. If the budget is approved as proposed, the township's millage rate would increase from the current 3.361 to 3.769 per thousand dollars of assessed value. Source: Daily Local; 11/22/09 No new taxes in Kennett Township budget While presenting the township's preliminary 2010 budget, Kennett Township Supervisors' Chairman Robert Hammaker noted no new taxes are being proposed. "The only major change in revenues we expect in 2010 is a decrease in real estate taxes due to the decline in real estate values in general," he said. Source: Daily Local; 11/23/09 Edgmont considering 5 percent tax increase After two years with no property tax increase, Edgmont Township Supervisors are considering a 2010 budget that includes a 5 percent hike. The proposed increase amounts to less than $10 annually for the average assessment of $294,000. Taxes are proposed at 0.4942 mills for the general fund and 0.1757 mills for fire protection, a total of 0.6699 mills, or $196.95 annually. Last year, the same property would have paid 0.6380 mills, or $187.60. Residents can view the budget in the township office. Supervisors must approve a final budget by the end of the calendar year. Source: Daily Times; 11/23/09 Media council trying to hold line on taxes Media Borough Council reviewed the 2010 preliminary general operating budget of about $7 million, which includes the same 3 mill property tax as last year. That equates to $600 for a home assessed at $200,000. The borough has the maximum limits of most Act 511 taxes, which include earned income, mercantile and business privilege taxes. As with every other revenue stream, the 511 taxes are showing some fluctuation. However, according to the tax collector, they are holding fairly steady. The operating budget actually shows a surplus of $134,225 in revenue versus expenditures. The challenge is what to do about the capital fund, which has a $312,000 deficit, even after council has sliced $600,000 by eliminating projects. The final budget will be proposed at council´s December meeting. Source: Daily Times; 9/23/09 Aston council eyes 11 percent tax hike Aston Commissioners unanimously approved a 2010 preliminary operating budget totaling $10 million. If adopted, millage will be set at 4.05 mills, reflecting an increase of 0.4 mills over last year. A homeowner with a residence assessed at $200,000 can expect to pay $810 in real-estate taxes in 2010. Adoption of the final budget is expected during the 7 p.m. meeting on Dec. 16. Source: Daily Times; 11/24/09 FAA fight takes new flight path Delaware County is taking its case against the Federal Aviation Administration to the U.S. Supreme Court. The county´s petition for the court to hear its case is the latest - and last - in a series of filings since the FAA partially implemented a controversial airspace redesign at Philadelphia International Airport in late 2007. The plan, which was also implemented at airports in New York and New Jersey, included a new departure heading south out of the airport along the Delaware River, which county council members feared would lead to low-flying passenger jets over the county at times. Source: Daily Times; 11/20/09 Haverford officials debate 3.5 percent increase in taxes Haverford Commissioners engaged in a heated debate before approving a $65.5 million preliminary budget. The budget calls for a 3.5 percent increase in taxes and the elimination of 14 part-time and 2 full-time positions. The final adoption of the budget is expected on December 14. Source: Daily Times; 11/23/09 Aston picks electrical inspector Aston Commissioners approved a request from Middle Atlantic Inspections Inc. to serve as third-party electrical inspectors in the township. Source: Daily Times; 11/25/09 Montgomery East Norriton discusses solutions to budget shortfall Originally projecting a budget deficit of almost $1.5 million, East Norriton supervisors were recently presented with a revised budget that includes a shortfall of $398,850. Proposed budget cuts include the elimination of four positions slated for retirement in the coming year. Township Manager Don Delamater presented four levels of real estate tax increases in order to balance the budget. Supervisors will meet again to make a final decision on the budget in December. Click here for the budget meeting dates. Source: Times Herald; 11/18/09 Conshohocken Borough approves preliminary budget Starting with a balanced budget in hand for 2010 made adoption of the preliminary budget easy for Conshohocken Borough Council. Unanimously approved, the 2010 preliminary budget includes a decrease of the real estate tax millage by a half-mill, lowering the current 4 mill rate to 3.5 mills for 2010. The preliminary budget is available for public review, and adoption of the final budget is slated for the Dec. 16 meeting at 1 West First Avenue, Suite 200, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Source: Times Herald; 11/19/09 Upper Moreland takes steps toward moving train station Upper Moreland Commissioners took steps to apply for a $60,000 grant to study the impact of moving the Willow Grove Train Station across the street from the current location. The grant application is to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission for funds from the Transportation and Community Development Initiative Program, which supports regional development, redevelopment and transportation improvement projects. The current train station location cannot be expanded and often backs up traffic in an all ready busy area. If awarded, the funding would cover the planning costs to get the project shovel ready. Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 11/12/09 Narberth preliminary budget includes tax hike Narberth Borough Council reviewed the 2010 preliminary budget which includes a hike in the borough real estate tax rate from 7.888 mills to 8.570 mills. The average property assessed at $250,000 will see an increase in taxes by about $171 for a total tax bill of approximately $2,143. Narberth residents will see sewer rates remain the same, along with the solid waste rate. The finance committee has scheduled a meeting for Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. for the council and the public at Borough Hall, 100 Conway Ave, Narberth. The proposed budget is also available online. Source: Main Line Times; 11/18/09 Governor announces withdrawal from Willow Grove Naval Air Station plans Governor Ed Rendell recently announced the withdrawal of the state from a plan that would have allowed for joint use of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base property by Pennsylvania´s National Guard and other Department of Defense groups to support national defense, emergencies and homeland security. The decision to withdraw was made because of the budget crisis in Pennsylvania. Under the Base Realignment and Closure process, the land can now be declared surplus. The surplus declaration would allow the Horsham Land Reuse Authority to have a say in the future use of the property, therefore keeping the decision in the hands of the local residents and government. Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 11/18/09 |