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Week of January 14, 2008
Commercial building is steady
By:Sarah Larson, The Intelligencer
There aren’t any more Valley Squares or Richland Marketplaces in the works for Central or Upper Bucks any time soon.
While the areas housing market took a nosedive last year, the commercial development market seems to be holding steady, at least for now. But area planners and builders don’t see much growth in that sector, either.
The Southeast Pennsylvania chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. expects the commercial market in the upcoming year to be better than the residential market, but sees no boom times for either.
Fitzpatrick endorses retired colonel for his old seat
By: Kimberly Hefling, The Associated Press
A former Pennsylvania congressman said Monday he will not seek to win back the seat he lost to Iraq war veteran Patrick Murphy and instead endorses the potential candidacy of a father of a Marine killed last year in Iraq.
Mike Fitzpatrick, a Republican who served one term in Congress before losing the seat in 2006 in a hotly contested election to Murphy, D-Pa., said Thomas Manion "has the focus and experience to demand a successful conclusion to the mission in Iraq."
The 53-year-old Manion is a pharmaceutical executive who recently retired as a colonel in the Marine Reserves. Manion's son, Marine 1st Lt. Travis L. Manion, 26, of Doylestown, Pa., died April 29 during his second Iraq tour while living with an Iraqi unit he was leading and training.
Report: Reservoirs contributed to flooding along Delaware River
By: Freda R. Savana, The Intelligencer
The flooding that has devastated communities along the Delaware River in recent years could have been lessened if the water levels of four critical reservoirs had been lowered, according to an engineer's study.
Roger Ruggles, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Lafayette College in Easton, conducted the analysis.
His findings support the belief of many who live and work near the river that reducing water levels at three New York reservoirs and Lake Wallenpaupack in Pennsylvania would dramatically reduce the severity of the flooding.
The Delaware Riverside Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that works for residents and business owners along the river and advocates for reduced reservoir capacity, hired Ruggles to conduct the study.
Ruggles' report estimated the crest level recorded at the Montague River gauge in Milford, N.J., across the Delaware from Riegelsville, during the June 2006 flood would have been six feet lower if the reservoirs had been at 80 percent of capacity rather than 100 percent.
A cheap place for building supplies
By: Freda R. Savana, The Intelligencer
When you think of Habitat for Humanity, you probably don’t think of a place where you can buy new windows, doors, dishwashers or pick up a granite sink.
Better known for its commitment to providing homes for families that might otherwise never have one, the Bucks County branch of the organization is hoping to branch out into retail.
Although the nonprofit is still awaiting a decision from Chalfont’s zoning hearing board, it’s hopeful that officials will allow it to operate ReStore, a unique business open to the public.
Borough council has given its unanimous support to the zoning variance, said borough manager, Melissa Shafer. A decision is expected soon.
Transportation study recommends gas tax hike, other fixes to meet growing infrastructure demand
By: Jim Snyder, TheHill.com
Massive new spending is needed to keep the nation’s increasingly clogged transportation system from causing economic gridlock as well, according to a new report written by a congressionally mandated panel.
A majority of panel members on the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, a 12-member panel that reviewed transportation issues for the past 22 months, described a system operating at almost full capacity. Panel members said the influx of new money was needed to keep the United States economy growing.
Homeowners' tax amendment makes it through state House
By: Mark Scolforo, Associated Press
A constitutional amendment to permit elimination of homeowners' property taxes advanced out of the state House of Representatives yesterday, but it faces a long road ahead.
The measure would expand a provision in the state constitution that allows a 50 percent cut in property taxes for people's primary homes. The amendment would let the legislature eliminate such taxes, while keeping taxes in place for businesses and other commercial properties.
The bill was one of two items to emerge from the House as members searched this week for ways to cut school taxes. The other, which also passed unanimously yesterday, would give tax breaks to working poor while cutting the state's personal income tax by about a billion dollars a year.
The constitutional amendment would need to pass the Senate this year and then get another round of approval by the legislature in the 2009-10 session before going to state voters for a referendum.
Despite the bill's unanimous passage, some Republicans criticized it for not requiring - rather than simply allowing - larger property tax cuts or for not eliminating property taxes of all kinds.
"It's a borderline joke is what it is," said Rep. Will Gabig (R., Cumberland). "It will do nothing. It will not reduce property taxes by one dollar."
State seeks similar contractor law
By: Danny Adler, Bucks County Courier Times
While Yardley's council sent its contractor registration ordinance back to committee for improvement earlier this week, both the state House and Senate are considering legislation to create a similar statewide registration process.
If a state bill passes, borough solicitor James McNamara said it would trump any borough ordinance and anticipates the council would drop its local law.
State Sen. Tommy Tomlinson's proposal, which would require contractors to register with the Bureau of Consumer Protection in the Attorney General's Office, passed the Senate in June and now sits in the House consumer affairs committee, Fran Cleaver said. She is a lawyer for the Consumer Protection and the Professional Licensure Committee that Tomlinson chairs.
Supervisors bidding for Steil’s seat
By:Chris English, Bucks County Courier Times
Fresh off a narrow loss in his bid for Bucks County commissioner, Steve Santarsiero is ready to try for another office, and he’ll be joined by fellow Lower Makefield Supervisor Pete Stainthorpe.
The Democrat Santarsiero and Republican Stainthorpe both recently confirmed they’re running for the seat of state Rep. Dave Steil, R-31, this year. Steil is not running for a ninth two-year term.
Stainthorpe, 55, just won another six-year supervisor term in November but said he wanted to take advantage of the retirement of longtime incumbent Steil and make a bid for higher office.
“I’m putting together a campaign committee and am in the process of reaching out to committee people and folks in the party to get their support,” Stainthorpe said. “One of my interests as a supervisor has been renewable energy, and I want to push that at the state level. I think it’s an industry that could become a cornerstone of Pennsylvania, bringing new jobs and driving an economic turnaround in the state.”
