|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
CONTACT: Ann
Collis |
State Rep. Richard T.
Grucela |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grucela wants to require new developments to chip in for local schools
HARRISBURG, Jan. 23 – State Rep. Rich Grucela, D-Northampton, is reintroducing legislation that would address rapidly expanding residential developments and their impact on school districts’ funds for educational programs.
The legislation would allow school districts to impose education impact fees on new residential development. The fees would enable a school district to develop programs and facilities necessary to accommodate increased student enrollment due to new development in the district.
“Impact fees for developers are long overdue,” Grucela said. “New housing developments are increasingly sprouting up across the state, particularly in Northampton County, without any consideration of the strain school districts will bear to educate more children.
“It’s time to help growing school districts with some revenues to offset growth expenditures they are incurring.”
Under the proposal, builders could also decrease the fees imposed on their developments.
Developments that would be eligible for reduced fees include, but are not limited to:
- Housing units for low-income and moderate-income individuals.
- Building permits issued for the replacement of existing dwelling units.
- Residential dwelling units for older adult housing.
- Houses that meet or exceed the National Energy Star rating.
- Developments that preserve land for open space uses.
- Developments that provide a designated school bus loading area and an area for a school bus to turn around, if necessary.
- Developments in the subdivision that have a stone or brick front on the façade of houses.
- Developments that use porous materials for each house’s driveway and sidewalks.
Grucela said that these reductions would provide incentives for developers to build attractive, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient homes.
“Good respectable developers will support and favor this legislation for many reasons – but especially because of the incentives that would reduce the fee,” Grucela said.
Grucela also has sponsored legislation that would require developers to notify school districts of the potential impact on educational costs that their developments may cause.
“Providing notification to school districts is simply something that should be done as a common courtesy so superintendents and school boards can plan accordingly.”
###ac/2007/bt l:\print\releases\educimpact.137