Police to Increase DUI Enforcement for July 4th Celebrations

Checkpoints and roving patrols to be implemented through July 8th.

State and local police in Lansdale and Montgomery Township will be extra vigilant through the 4th of July holiday and on the lookout for intoxicated drivers, according to a release from PennDOT. “Many people will celebrate and travel for the Independence Day holiday,” said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. “Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts your life and the lives of those around you in danger. Designate a driver ahead of time or arrange for a ride home – just don’t drive unless you’re sober.” According to the release, the initiative is part of the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" enforcement initiative, funded with part of $4.2 million in federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. …

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Lansdale OKs North Penn Assessment Appeal

North Penn School District negotiated an increase in the assessment of the Rite Aid property at 10 West Main Street to $1.9 million

North Penn School District and Lansdale Borough have agreed to a negotiated assessment increase of the Rite Aid property at 10 West Main Street in Lansdale. The property formerly assessed at $736,630 has been increased to an assessment of around $1.9 million, according to borough councilman and administration and finance committee chairman Dan Dunigan. "There was an appeal filed by the North Penn School District (for) 10 W. Main St. - the Rite Aid. As a result of that, there was a negotiated increase in the assessment of the building, which resulted in a substantial increase," Dunigan said. Dunigan said the new $1.9 million assessment totals about a $35,000 increase in tax value. "The school district is collecting the vast majority. The …

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Parentfirst

11:20 am on Monday, July 2, 2012

For the last several years, the district has been discussing hiring a consultant to figure out for them properties that have increased in value, in spite of the real estate crash several years ago. I believe it was last year, just prior to the election, the district, rather a local newspaper listed the 24 or 28 businesses that the district would go after for these assessments. Rite Aids, Thrift …   more ›

No New Taxes in Montgomery Township

Real estate tax millage remains at 1.49 mills and Homestead Exclusion remains at $30,000 for eligible property owners

No new taxes in Montgomery Township. Supervisors Monday night unanimously approved an $11.4 million budget with no increase in real estate taxes. Montgomery Township will begin 2012 with a $36,385 surplus as well. Real estate tax millage in the township remains at 1.49 mills. One mil equals $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. Thus, township residents pay $1.49 for every $1,000 of taxable property. The real estate tax rate was reduced from 1.61 mills in 2003 to 1.49 mills in 2006. The Homestead Exclusion remains in the budget at $30,000. “The township offers the Homestead Exclusion, which was implemented in 2003 and increased to $30,000 in 2009,” said township Finance Director Shannon Drosnock. “This provides approximately $308,…

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Innovation Celebration Proposed Economic Answers

More than 60 district employees, residents and students exhibited proposals to increase revenue and decrease costs in the 2012 budget.

When you give North Penn School District residents a chance to help the marred school district budget, you should expect them to jump at the chance. Even if those residents aren’t taxpayers. High school student Nick Haddad had a proposal where the district could save $112,000 a year on printer ink, all by switching to a different font. Another student, Torrey Wente, discovered the district could save $4,400 a year in energy costs by using LED lights in the auditorium. A consortium of school leaders—North Penn High School principal Burt Hynes, Allyn Roche, North Penn High School vice principal Neil Broxterman, John Strobel, district finance director Bob Schoch, athletic director Don Ryan and Bill Bartle—proposed a plan to charge user fees …

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Passing the Buck: Governor Corbett Unveils New Budget

Corbett's plan includes more than $1 billion in educational cuts

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett unveiled his budget Tuesday afternoon, and though the budget comes in at 3 percent below last year's, the steep cuts in education cannot be ignored. Corbett proposes cutting over $800 million from the public school system, by eliminating more than $250 million in grant money, and slashing $550 million from K-12 public schools. Additionally, state-owned universities will be facing a budget reduction of more than $625 million, which represents more than half of their previous budget. So what does this all mean? While Governor Corbett seems to have achieved his goal of not implementing any new taxes, all he has done is passed the buck to students and Pennsylvania residents. In order for public schools to …

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Keith Heffintrayer

5:28 am on Thursday, March 10, 2011

College tuition is high enough as it is, and we can all probably agree that amount surpasses the quality of education received, hence going to 2 years of MCCC then off to a four year state program. The problem is cutting funding will only push cost to the student. If you think the institutes of higher learning are going to simply say "Well our budget is half of what it used to be. Let's cut …   more ›

News from Lansdale Borough

Sewer Rates in Lansdale Expected to Remain Steady

A completed sewer rate analysis recommends no increase in 2011, but the borough will have to boost rates as soon as 2012.

Lansdale Borough sewer rates are in good shape, and there’s no need for an increase in 2011, according to a recent completed sewer rate analysis presented to the administration and finance committee and public works committee Wednesday night. However, those rates—which include both service charges and usage fees—will need to increase at some point over the next five years. It could be as soon as 2012 and could be as much as 18 percent. Dave Busch, of Keystone Alliance Consulting in Ambler, told council that rates are in good shape at the moment, and the borough can make it through the year without any issues. The goal of the study, he said, was to calculate what the rates would need to be each year during the next five years. The analysis …

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Lansdale Borough ratifies police and allied workers union contracts

Each officer will receive 3.5 percent wage increases the first two years and 3 percent increases in the last two years. The contract agreements were completed without arbitration

The Lansdale Borough Police Benevolent Association and the Allied Workers Union have come to four-year agreements on their respective contracts with the borough. Last week, borough councilman Dan Dunigan announced each contract agreement is effective Jan. 1, 2011, to Dec. 31, 2014.   “(The police contract ratification) was done so without arbitration,” Dunigan said, adding it had an exceptional vote of support from the police. “We avoided the pitfalls of the past of creating an adversarial relationship,” Dunigan said. “It was mutual. We do all we can in our power to support our police force.” For the first two years, borough police officers will each receive a 3.5 percent wage increase this year and next year, and a 3 percent increase Jan…

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Montgomery Township supervisors approve sewer rate increase

After seven years, sewer rental rates for residential, commercial properties increased 5 percent on Jan. 1

In 2011, residents and commercial property owners can expect a 5 percent increase in sewer rental rates after seven years. Montgomery Township supervisors unanimously approved Monday night a 5 percent increase in sewer rental charges for residential and commercial properties. The increase went into effect Jan. 1. Non-metered users – property owners with a well – will now pay $121.50 a quarter instead of $116 a quarter. Usage per 1,000 gallons of water will be $2.58, up from $2.46. The connection fee per Equivalent Dwelling Unit, or EDU, will be $79.13, up from $75.84. Township manager Larry Gregan said the increase was proposed as part of the adopted township sewer authority budget. Montgomery Township Municipal Sewer Authority Chairman …