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Pocopson to levy earned-income tax starting in 2011

As of Jan. 1, Pocopson Township residents will have an earned-income tax deduction on their pay stubs. During the township’s last regular business meeting, supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance enacting a 0.20 percent levy. According to Pocopson Township Council President Steve Conary, the tax was designed to bolster the township’s general fund, which has been slowly diminishing with a lack of real estate transfer taxes. The decision was made based on a 10-year projection study the board recently performed.  Conary said the tax — once fully implemented — should generate roughly $219,000 annually. Conary said that revenue should keep the general fund out of the red and build up a small reserve for emergencies. The new tax is based on earned income and net profits and supercedes any other such tax that residents may have from working in another township. The tax affects only taxable income. Residents who make less than $12,000 per year are exempt from the new levy.

Source: Daily Local; 9/21/10

Downingtown water bills to rise 16 percent

The Downingtown Municipal Water Authority announced that it will be raising water bills in the borough by 16 percent for the average customer. The authority is completely restructuring its billing process for 2011. Under the old system, customers that used smaller amounts of water were benefiting from lower rates created by those using greater amounts, according to David Bush, a financial consultant for the authority. Under the current fee structure, customers pay $43.20 per quarter as a minimum charge then pay $8.64 for every 1,000 gallons that exceed the 5,000 gallon minimum allowance. The average customer uses about 12,000 gallons per quarter, according to authority officials. Under the new system, customers will pay a $57 service charge and then be charged an additional $2.32 fire service charge for potential use of hydrants. Customers with fire sprinkler systems will face an additional private fire service charge. After that, the fixed rates customers will pay will include $1.50 per 1,000 gallons up to the 5,000 gallon minimum, and then $7.69 per 1,000 gallons beyond 5,000.The new rates will be in place until 2012 when the authority will re-evaluate.

Source: Daily Local; 9/20/10

West Chester implements hiring freeze

In response to a $1 million budget shortfall, West Chester Borough Council has implemented a hiring freeze. From now until at least the end of October, the borough will not fill open positions. The borough’s finance committee recommended last week that $1 million should be withdrawn from the borough’s Capital-Operating Reserve Fund in order to meet an unexpected budget shortfall. The main causes of the shortfall are lower-than-expected earned income tax revenues and higher-than-expected claims against the borough’s self-insured medical plan. Council on Wednesday night voted unanimously to make the $1 million withdrawal. The $1 million will bring the balance of the Capital-Operating Reserve Fund balance to $9.5 million. The Capital-Operating Reserve holds money from the 1998 sale of the borough’s water system. Each year the borough uses interest from this fund to offset capital and operating expenses. The transfer means less of this interest income in future years.

Source: Daily Local; 9/20/10

Superfund site in East Whiteland cleaned up

It took five years but the clean up of the Foote Mineral Superfund Site on East Swedesford Road is nearing completion. The Cyprus Foote Mineral Company processed lithium and other mineral ores from 1946 to 1991 at the site dumping waste into pits and on the ground which subsequently contaminated the site and groundwater. Declared a federal Superfund site in 1992, the clean up didn‘t begin until 2005 when the purchasers of the land, Frazer Exton Development, wanted to build a senior living facility on a portion of the property. On Friday, workmen were on the site located between Valley Creek Parkway and South Bacton Hill Road spreading a geosynthetic liner over the 10-acre site before covering it with clean dirt and seeding it.

Source: Daily Local; 9/17/10

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