By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

First introduced by Manager Christopher Himes as part of a State of the Township brief on Aug. 26, the 2025 New Garden Township budget went through five reviews in September, October and November. 

At their Dec. 16 meeting, the Board of Supervisors gave their final sign off to a budget that will reflect next year’s expenditures, priorities and strategies for a municipality that will continue to forecast residential and business growth that will coincide with a vision to develop its infrastructure. 

As reflected in the board’s Nov. 18 meeting, the 2025 general budget will be $8,179,084, a $236,166 increase over the amended 2024 budget of 7,942.818. Of that amount, a little more than two-thirds will be spent on community development and safety; public safety in the areas of fire and EMS services; the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department; and the Public Works Department’s highway and road maintenance and upgrade projects. The remaining third of proposed expenditures will be divided among 13 of the township’s service areas. 

A key component of next year’s budget will be to focus on several of the township’s top priorities as spelled out in its 2018 Comprehensive Plan. They include creating strong financial management; stimulating economic development in the township; investing in infrastructure; addressing the rising costs of public safety; implementing technology and other initiatives to enhance township staff operations; enhancing community services; maintaining a commitment to preserving open space; expanding the New Garden Flying Field; and improving energy efficiencies throughout the township. 

Further, the township’s capital investment plan will devote more than 80 percent of its budget over the next five years toward road improvements and stormwater management projects in the township at an investment of $6.9 million from 2025 to 2029. On the revenue side for 2025, the township is expected to earn $2.7 million real estate taxes, $3.6 million in earned income, transfer and local service taxes; and $1.4 million from permits and fees.  

As was approved by the supervisors on Nov. 18, township homeowners will be absorbing a slight increase in their property taxes in 2025. Of the 214 households who own a home valued between $50,00 and $100,000, their yearly taxes will increase $40.00, for an increase of $3.33 a month. For the 2,397 households whose homes are valued between 100,000 and $250,000, their yearly taxes will increase $93.00, or $7.75 a month. The 537 residents who own a home valued between $250,000 and $400,000 will see their 2025 taxes increase $143.00 in 2025, for an increase of $11.92 a month. 

The tax increase will begin to enable the township to rebound from a ten-year cycle beginning in 2014 that saw its tax base growth remain stagnant from a decision by the board not to raise taxes during that period while at the same time it continues to absorb the higher cost of delivering vital services to its residents such as police, fire and EMS. These scenarios contributed to the township absorbing a $1.83 million structural deficit as the 2024 budget was being finalized that led to the board approving a 1.05 mill property tax rate increase this year.

“Since we had a prior history establishing a structural deficit not just last year but in years prior to that, that aggregated amount had to be corrected in last year’s budget and in this year’s budget,” Himes said. “What ended up happening was that where we made some employment increases in terms of our community development and safety function, we actually had the ability to establish higher amounts of permit revenues and fees for service coming from that function, so in fiscal year 2024, we experienced an increase in revenues.”

To review the entire 2025 budget, visit the New Garden Township website at www.newgarden.org/439/Financial-Information.

Other township business

The supervisors gave their approval to the fiscal year 2025 Fire and EMS services agreement with the Avondale Fire Company in the amount of $392,870 for fire services and $699,089 for EMS services – a total of $1,091,959. This establishes the township’s annual contribution to the fire company’s overall budget, which has finalized its budget revenues and expenditures for both fire and EMS services for the coming year.

The board also approved a request by Purolite, LLC – an emerging company developing its site at 380 Starr Road in the township – an extension of its land development an additional 439 days, that will expire on March 31, 2026.

The supervisors gave their approval to the estimated $99,960 that will be spent on repairs at the Quonset Hut at New Garden Township Park. The structure, which is used for storage for area sports leagues, will undergo renovation that will include the installation of new doors and siding and the re-shingling of its roof.  

In accordance with the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Act 94 of 2024 that establishes parameters for the compensation for township supervisors, the board authorized their annual compensation to increase from $2,500 to $5,450. The Act states that supervisors in municipalities with a population from 10,000 to 14,999 may be compensated as much as $5,450 annually. (The township’s population currently stands at 11,381.) Compensation will be distributed in two payments of $2,725.

As a method of pursuing future economic opportunities in the township, the board gave their authorization to invest $45,000 in establishing a partnership with the Sports Facilities Advisory, LLC, a Clearwater, Fla.-based company that partners with communities throughout the U.S. in developing sports facilities and complexes. 

The agency’s proposals to the township will be in two independent phases that will provide the township with an economic impact and market-supportive industry analysis for potentially creating youth athletic facilities in the township. Since its founding in 2003, Sports Facilities Companies has developed projects in over 3,000 communities nationwide and overseen $15 billion in developed projects. 

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].