Chester County Real Estate News: June 7th, 2010
40 vacancies on Coatesville committees
A recent review of meeting minutes reveals that 40 vacant seats exist on Coatesville’s various authorities, boards, commissions and committees. The goal now is to get dedicated residents appointed to these various committees. One vacancy exists on the redevelopment authority, the firefighters’ pension fund commission, the non-uniform pension commission, the police pension commission, the zoning hearing board and the vacant property review committee. Two exist on the parks and recreation advisory board, the civil service commission, the reserve trust commission, the advisory fire committee and the planning commission. Three exist on the board of housing appeals, the board of use registration appeals and the solid waste review board. Four exist on the technology commission. Five exist on the uniform construction code appeals board, the historical commission and the parks and recreation commission. City officials urge anyone interested in applying to be a member of the city’s authorities, boards, commissions and committees to contact the city administration at 610-384-0300.
Source: Daily Local; 6/1/2010
More changes coming for London Grove comprehensive plan
Preserving the commercial zoning of properties along the Route 41 corridor probably is not going to be enough to keep critics from questioning the draft revisions to London Grove’s draft comprehensive plan, so it looks as though more changes will be made. The township’s board of supervisors held a hearing last week to look at the plan, and a few of the original elements will likely be changed. The “town center” overlay plan will no longer be near the U.S. 1/Route 41 interchange. It will be moved somewhere further south. The supervisors also voted to remove specific references in the plan to the proposed roundabout at Route 41 and Evergreen road.
Source: Chester County Press; 5/26/2010
Coatesville school board OKs 3.6 percent tax hike
The Coatesville Area School Board approved the 2010-11 final budget, which includes a 3.6 percent tax increase, in a split vote on Tuesday night. The general fund budget was approved at $146.4 million, which is about a 5 percent increase over last year’s school budget. The 3.6 percent tax hike would raise the tax rate to 28.49 mills, with one mill equal to $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed property value. An average taxpayer with a home in the district assessed for tax purposes at $117,347 would therefore generate a school tax bill of $3,343 — an increase of $116 over the prior year. Similar to other school districts, Coatesville Area officials struggled with the impending Pennsylvania State Employee Retirement System (PSERS) contribution increases — an issue that has frustrated officials across the county and state in recent months. This year, the district contributed 4.7 percent of retirement funds. Next year that number will double to 8.2 percent and will be as high as 33.6 percent by 2014-15, officials said.
Source: Daily Local; 5/27/2010
Owen J. Roberts budget for next year raises property tax rate, spending levels
The Owen J. Roberts School Board preliminarily approved a proposed 2010-11 budget that will raise the property tax rate by 0.67 mills. State gaming funds, however, will offset the tax hike for the average homeowner. The proposed $82.4 million spending plan will be presented to the board for final approval at a June 21 meeting. The new budget represents a 4.17 percent increase over the $79.16 million spending plan for 2009-10, and it will require a tax hike of 2.6 percent. That equates to a $124 increase to the property tax bill of the average homeowner in the district with a property assessed at $185,400, according to district Business Administrator Jaclin Krumrine. But the district is to receive $1.5 million in state gaming funds to offset tax bills of each qualified homestead by $170. Therefore, the average homeowner with a homestead exemption will see a net school property tax decrease of $46.
Source: Daily Local; 6/2/2010
Phoenixville Area School District includes 2.54 percent tax increase
The Phoenixville Area School Board passed the 2010-2011 school budget with a 2.54 percent increase. The increase will translate to $89 for the average homeowner. There were staff reductions, supply reductions and procedural changes made to save taxpayer money. The original draft of the budget had included an increase of 6.9 percent.
Source: Potts Merc; 5/25/2010
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