BCATO

12/20/2023

Courts and government officials nationwide are trying to determine the boundaries between official and personal speech on social media. Commonwealth Court Judge Lori Dumas acknowledged in the opinion that it’s an evolving legal issue, writing “this Court’s precedents are in apparent tension.”

A recent court decision raised the bar for when a government official’s personal social media posts are public records, and will likely make it more burdensome and costly for Pennsylvanians to get their hands on this information.

12/18/2023

The PA House Consumer Protection, Technologies, and Utilities Committee heard testimony on a package of bills to level the playing field in acquiring municipal water and wastewater treatment plants. Since Act 12 became law in 2016, investor-owned utilities have closed deals leaving ratepayers with unprecedented rate increases. Learn more here.

Home Resources News PA House Committee Hears Testimony on Bills Targeting Municipal Water and Sewer Authority Sales Dec 17, 2023 General News General News All Articles Harrisburg: December 14, 2023-The PA House Consumer Protection, Technologies, and Utilities committee heard testimony on a package o...

11/09/2023

BCATO members had the opportunity to tour the Waste Management Fairless Hills Complex. The tour included a bird's eye view of the landfill, the site for the anticipated Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) facility, and the Intergenerational Pollinator Partnership Project pollinator-friendly gardens. Members were pleasantly surprised at the biodiversity represented at the site and the large eagle population.

08/22/2023

Bucks County Vietnam Veteran Alan Micklin is on a mission to ensure the POW-MIA flag is not forgotten and is flying on every municipal flag pole, fire company flag pole, and more, across Bucks County. Thank you, Alan, for bringing this incredibly important matter to our attention. If your municipality's flagpole is currently not flying the POW-MIA flag, kindly bring it to the attention of your elected officials.

08/20/2023

Last year, BCATO was in high gear fighting to stop the proposed sale of the BCWSA sewer system to Aqua PA. The BCATO Executive board continues to monitor this issue very closely. Perhaps we have another win here for ratepayers.

Pa.’s Commonwealth Court recently ruled on the side of ratepayers in a major Office of Consumer Advocate case against the Public Utilities Commission and Aqua.

07/16/2023

Heartwrenching news out of Upper Makefield Township.

Four are dead and the search for additional victims is underway in Upper Makefield, where flash flooding took motorists and residents by surprise Saturday.

05/04/2023

Great news! SB 671, introduced by Sen. Frank Farry (PA-6), passed in the PA Senate. BCATO is very appreciative of Sen. Farry taking the lead on amending the Sterling Act and the support from our Bucks County senators, Steve Santarsiero (PA-10) and Jarrette Coleman (PA-16). Next stop, the PA House of Representatives!

To return tax dollars locally and to prevent further property tax increases, the Senate passed Sen. Frank Farry’s (R-6) Commuter Tax Fairness Act today to make Philadelphia’s City Wage Tax more equitable for non-residents.

03/10/2023

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the BCATO 115th Annual Convention. It was terrific to be back in person. We appreciated the hospitality of Northampton Township and the opportunity to hold the Convention at the municipally owned Northampton Valley Country Club. Pictured above were our hosts Adam Selisker, Chairman of the Northampton Board of Supervisors, Bob Pellegrino, Township Manager, and VInce Deon, township Tax Collector. Also pictured are newly elected PA Representatives, Kristen Marcell (PA-178) and Joe Hogan (PA-142). Rep. Shelby Labs, (PA-143) also stopped by. Our Bucks County Board of Commissioners led by Bob Harvie, Chairman, Diane Eilis- Marselglia, Vice Chair, and Gene DiGirolamo provided updates on both challenges facing the county and successes in meeting the needs of our residents. Barry Luber, Warrington Township Manager, and Bucks County Consortium President discussed an effort moving ahead to form an infrastructure consortium to target water and sewer issues. Dave Nyman, BCATO's 1st Vice President, discussed the March 2, 2023, PA Senate Policy Committee Hearing on the Sterling Act.

Vince Deon, 2nd Vice President presented the Metzger Service Award to Mayor Joe DiGirolamo, Bensalem for his more than two decades of service to his township and often leading the way across the county. Mayor Joe has been a fixture on the BCATO Board of Directors for many years and will be missed. We are pleased to note that Michelle Benitz, Councilwoman, Bensalem, will now represent Bensalam's interest on the board.

This year's panel discussion focused on the robust housing market here in Bucks County and some of the unintended consequences municipalities are facing as a result. We would like to thank our panelists, Florence Kawoczka, Executive Director of Habitat of Humanity of Bucks County, Erik Clare, Executive Director of the Bucks County Housing Group, Micheal Roedig, Director of Planning Services for the Bucks County Planning Commission, and Judy Stern-Goldstein, Landscape Architect and Planner for Gilmore and Associates.

No convention would be complete without an update from PSATS. Joe Gerdes, Director of Government Relations for PSATS provided a very thorough look into the prospects for this year's legislative priorities.

Finally, thank you to our many sponsors for their support. It was really great to connect in person.

03/06/2023

How much did the Sterling Act cost your township or borough lose?

03/06/2023

In 2021 municipalities across Bucks County lost $8,926,532 in EIT to the Philadelphia Wage Tax as a result of the 1932 antiquated Sterling Act.

Tax and municipal officials told a panel of Republican state senators in Middetown Township on Thursday that a Great Depression-era state law deprives Bucks County towns of millions of dollars.

10/28/2022

Just a reminder- National Prescription Take back Day is tomorrow. Let's work together to protect our communities.