Letter to the Editor:

In his guest column in the Jan. 15 edition of the Chester County Press, Kennett Township supervisor Geoffrey Gamble complains that the recently approved county tax increase of 13 percent has failed to match inflation. The last tax increase approved by the Commissioners was in 2021. Prices in Pennsylvania have risen 17.5 percent since January 2021. 

Without in any way dismissing the challenges of covering expenses in retirement, I’d note that, for the 26 percent of Kennett Township residents receiving Social Security, their benefits rose 17.9 percent in the same period — increases designed in part to cover increased taxes.

Geoffrey Gamble sees no value in the services the county provides for our taxes. I invite readers to spend a few minutes skimming through the latest (2023) Annual Report Summary of County income and expenditures provided by our elected Controller [that can be found on chesco.org].

I’m grateful and rely on those services — services my township would struggle to provide on its own.

David Ross
West Nottingham