Proposal to eliminate LSA grant program would hurt borough
I can’t believe Memorial Day has passed and summer is approaching fast. The kids will be out of school and summer fun begins. With picnics, summer sports, activities and, of course, summer holidays, we must keep in mind the many safety concerns that come with the season. Please be careful, watch out for one another, and have fun.
On a more serious note, I would like to bring to everyone’s attention of state Rep. Bud Cook’s (49th District) announcement to eliminate the Washington County Local Share Account Grant Program, known as LSA. He is proposing taking approximately $7.5 million per year from this successful program and giving it directly to our local school districts to try to marginally lower taxes. Although we would all like to see lower taxes, Mr. Cook’s proposal will only increase taxes on all our residents later.
I have spoken to another councilman, of the borough of Charleroi, Mark Alterici, extensively on the subject. He agrees with me completely that eliminating this program will only force us to have to pay higher taxes later. Here are a few facts to keep in mind regarding the LSA Program.
The LSA program has provided over $100 million to local projects in Washington County over the past 11 years. In our two boroughs alone, LSA has provided over $5.6 million in funding for projects important to our communities such as Canonsburg Town Park, Canonsburg Senior Center, Charleroi facade improvements, Charleroi Regional Police and Charleroi Market House.
In addition, the LSA has funded numerous water/sewage and other infrastructure in our boroughs – many that were ordered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. However, without LSA funding, our residents would have been forced to pay higher water and sewage bills to complete these mandated projects. What Mr. Cook is not realizing is that any minimal savings in school taxes made possible by eliminating the LSA program would only significantly increase taxes and fees on our residents for water and sewage upgrades that could have been reduced by LSA funding. What Mr. Cook is also not telling us is how he plans to fund future economic, infrastructure and job creation projects without the resources of the LSA fund.
In the Observer-Reporter’s article, “Cook wants to eliminate the LSA Fund,” on April 19, 2019, it was commented by several of our local officials that Mr. Cook did not share or consult any of our county commissioners, local municipal leaders, LSA committee members or other stakeholders before announcing his proposal. It is apparent that Mr. Cook would have been better served to meet with the stakeholders and those that have received grants from this successful program to see that eliminating the LSA grant program will only raise taxes and hurt our efforts to attract jobs and investment to our communities. We encourage Mr. Cook to sit down and listen to the stakeholders, nonprofits and municipalities about the benefits of the LSA before he takes away program that has greatly enhanced our county and kept taxes low.
I hope I have given you some valid points to consider as this proposal has not passed yet. It is up to us as concerned citizens to make sure that this proposal never goes through. Please contact your local representatives and voice your opinion regarding this proposal.
As I leave you with the above to ponder, I wanted to say that I take pride in Canonsburg and will continue to work together with the council and borough officials to make sure our town continues to grow and prosper. That is why I believe that everyone needs to be aware of these types of concerns and have a voice regarding them. As always, my door is always open. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any concerns or ideas you may have.
Kimberly and I hope you have a safe and happy summer!