Property Taxes Could Increase Again to Cover the Cost of Schools

More than $101 million of the $147 million budget for the Abington School District 2015-16 school year will likely be funded by property owners who are facing potential increases of over a $100 a month. In the last five years, almost every school district in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties has raised property taxes at least once, and even the Upper Merion Area School District, with historically low taxes, has seen a 19 percent hike.

Governor Tom Wolf is adamant that using property tax as the prime source of funding source for schools is unfair, and has orchestrated an all-out campaign to increase alternative school funding initiatives, to shift some of the burden away from homeowners. However, with the state commission responsible for the new school-funding formula missing a deadline last week, and the Democratic governor and the Republican leadership in Harrisburg locked in a budget stalemate, the situation does to be resolved anytime soon.

Outpatient Health-Care Gets a Boost in Chester County

Penn Medicine has opened the doors to its new $28 million outpatient health-care center in southern Chester County. Developed by the health system in partnership with Anchor Health Properties, the 72,000-square-feet facility can already provide primary care including ophthalmology, physical therapy, radiology and laboratory services.

An outpatient surgical center is also planned for later this year. The center, located at the intersection of Routes 1 and 796 will provide an alternative to the Jennersville Regional Hospital, also in West Grove, owned and operated by Community Health Systems.

Herr’s Offers New Pretzels to Help the Paralyzed Veterans of America

Herr’s, based in Nottingham, PA, is offering delicious, limited edition, Whole Grain Pretzels with Flax Seed & Honey to raise funds for Paralyzed Veterans of America, a nonprofit veterans charity organization. The healthy ribbon shaped Pretzels, which also include caraway, poppy and sesame seeds, have specially designed packaging to make them stand out, and can be found throughout July, in stores  in the mid-Atlantic region.

Herr’s will contribute 5 cents for each bag sold, with the aim of reaching a total donation of $10,000. Herr’s also hopes that the unique packaging and sales of the limited edition pretzels will generate more awareness of the organization. During 2014 Paralyzed Veterans of America provided services to more than 60,000 paralyzed veterans and their families nationwide, and has secured more than $290 million in new benefit awards and ancillary benefits for veteran clients.

100 Years of Old Glory Monument Commemorated

On June 11, 2015 Chester County Commissioners Kathi Cozzone, Terence Farrell and Michelle Kichline, along with the Commissions President, Judge Jacqueline Cody gathered together to recognize the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of Chester County’s iconic Old Glory monument.

On June 11, 1915, a crowd of over 35,000 people filled Courthouse Square to witness the unveiling of this local landmark that honors Chester County’s soldiers, sailors and marines who fought for the Union in the Civil War.

While this year’s event was not quite as dramatic as in 1915, the heartfelt ceremony demonstrated the importance of honoring veterans from all eras of this country’s history.