Uncle Irvin: Small boroughs are obsolete
06/07/2016 11:44AM ● By Richard Gaw
The borough, or town center, form of municipal government was created by William Penn 200 years ago.
Long ago, small boroughs became obsolete and inefficient. Two such boroughs, Avondale and West Grove, are still around, providing unsatisfactory services that cost each resident higher property taxes than the services rendered. Both Avondale and West Grove should be annexed by the large, first-class townships that surround them.
West Grove has hopefully taken a first step by joining New Garden Township with a regional police force.
Right now, the farce of the year is taking place in West Grove with the sidewalk project on the north side of Baltimore Pike (there are already sidewalks on the other side). This boondoggle sidewalk to nowhere is wasting $1 million in taxes or grant dollars that can be used far more efficiently.
Annexation in Pennsylvania is not really complicated, and all it takes is both municipalities to agree to it. In fact, annexation has already happened when school districts were reorganized.
(Uncle Irvin's column is his opinion only, and is not a news story.)
Long ago, small boroughs became obsolete and inefficient. Two such boroughs, Avondale and West Grove, are still around, providing unsatisfactory services that cost each resident higher property taxes than the services rendered. Both Avondale and West Grove should be annexed by the large, first-class townships that surround them.
West Grove has hopefully taken a first step by joining New Garden Township with a regional police force.
Right now, the farce of the year is taking place in West Grove with the sidewalk project on the north side of Baltimore Pike (there are already sidewalks on the other side). This boondoggle sidewalk to nowhere is wasting $1 million in taxes or grant dollars that can be used far more efficiently.
Annexation in Pennsylvania is not really complicated, and all it takes is both municipalities to agree to it. In fact, annexation has already happened when school districts were reorganized.
(Uncle Irvin's column is his opinion only, and is not a news story.)
