Ridley Park property taxes raised 17 percent to offset unpaid hospital taxes

Ridley Park Borough council votes to increase property and sewer taxes 17 percent to a offset budget shortfall, due to Taylor Hospital's unpaid back taxes.

RIDLEY PARK, Pa. - Outrage in a Delaware County town after officials voted Thursday night to hike taxes 17 percent. Officials in Ridley Park Borough say the move is necessary to offset a shortfall.

"All of a sudden, you’re gonna ram it down our throats over the holidays," Ridley Park resident Mike Dougherty stated. "Very frustrating for everybody and we came to get answers. They told us we will get answers and nothing went on."

Dougherty doesn’t understand how Ridley Park City Council did not warn people that a 17 percent tax hike was coming.

People packed a special meeting demanding budget cuts before a vote to raise taxes by 17 percent or a 31 percent millage increase. The council says it is mainly because Prospect Holdings, the company that owns Taylor Hospital, still owes back taxes.

Taylor Hospital

"Do you know who the residents of Ridley Park are? 31 percent?" resident Mary Pat King asked. "Fixed-income folks and people working to support families don’t have that kind of excess disposable income."

The council says the hospital did pay $100,000 in sewer bills, but still owes $363,000 in taxes, but, technically, isn’t delinquent until January 2nd.

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"Which makes me wonder why it’s such an urgent matter to raise our taxes now?" resident Sam Canale commented.

Residents asked many questions but heard very few concrete answers.

Council president, Dane Colliins, said, "It was gone over at the last meeting where I gave a presentation on many of these exact same points. We’re here to listen to you. We understand what you’re saying."

Michelle Stock Mattia, with the Council, added, "When we’re looking at these very large increases to the taxes for the residents, we should look at very serious cuts to the budget."

In the end, only one member voted against the tax increase and the residents were not happy.

Dougherty added, "It’s just gonna hurt everyone. It’s gonna hurt the businesses, the churches, the tips people leave. If you’re paying 17 percent, people can’t leave another 17 or 18 percent when you go to the restaurant. You just can’t do it."

The 17 percent tax increase passed, but the board is still negotiating with Taylor Hospital to pay their back taxes. A spokesperson for Crozier Health gave a statement, saying they’re continuing to negotiate what they believe is a fair market value for the back taxes. They’re confident they will reach an agreement shortly.

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