12/15/2005New tax for some; tax hike for all By:Richard Schwartzman Chadds Ford Township now has a balanced budget for 2006 that includes one tax increase, one new tax for every property owner and one new tax for a few property owners.
A new fire hydrant tax that will affect approximately 470 properties in the township was levied during the Dec. 7 Board of Supervisors meeting.
The tax is 0.95 mills in excess of what other property owners will pay. It is being levied on property owners whose homes or businesses are within 780 feet of a fire hydrant.
While it might seem unfair to levy a tax on just some property owners, tax collector Bruce Prabel said it serves as a user fee to those whose homes and businesses are near hydrants. He added that those people have reduced insurance costs because of the proximity to hydrants.
Total township millage is 0.782 for property owners within the fire hydrant district, 0.687 outside the district. Prabel said there was no single area in the township categorized as a "hydrant district," but most of the properties near hydrants are along or near Route 202.
Another new tax, one voted into existence by township residents is the open space tax of 0.28 mills. Residents approved that tax in the May primary. It is designed to raise approximately $125,000 per year for open space preservation.
Supervisors also raised the millage for the general fund from 0.21 mills to 0.25. A mill is a tax of $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property value.
Other township property taxes are 0.075 mills for fire protection, 0.012 mills for the Rachel Kohl Library and 0.07 mills for the capital improvement fund.
Revenues and expenses are balanced at $1,138,658 each.
Other business
Supervisors held a hearing for the fire hydrant tax, a grinder pump ordinance and a noise ordinance. All three were passed 3-0 during the meeting.
The noise ordinance is an amendment to a previous noise and loitering ordinance.
During a brief discussion before the vote, solicitor Hugh Donaghue told supervisors that section 3 of the ordinance dealing with loitering could be challenged on constitutional grounds.
Subsection b) says that congregating or trespassing on or about the township building when it's not in use is a violation.
Donaghue said that since the township building is public property, people are permitted to be there.
Supervisors passed the measure without removing that subsection.
The ordinance is to be posted on the township Web site.
*The hydrant tax ordinance allows the township to enter into a contract with Chester Water Authority for placement, replacement, operation and maintenance of fire hydrants. Those will be paid from the fire hydrant tax.
* The grinder pump ordinance establishes procedures for installing, using and maintaining such pumps and associated force mains or low-pressure laterals involving public sewers.
* Supervisors announced that their next meeting, the January reorganization meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
* Supervisors approved an amended plan for the Toll Bros. Inc. development at Camp Sunset Hill. The amended plan eliminates half the sidewalks from the internal streets of the development. Township engineer Jim Kelly said the change would have no negative affect and would benefit stormwater management. |
