Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham delivers a video message announcing no tax increase for Hatfield Township residents in 2025, during the township budget presentation delivered on Nov. 20, 2024. (Credit: Hatfield Township)
Video message utilized via Cameo from the former Eagles QB.
The news is the same, but a guest messenger delivered it for 2025.
Hatfield Township’s commissioners closed 2024 by adopting a budget for the upcoming year, hearing from a legendary guest speaker via video message to deliver the good news.
“This is from the Hatfield Township commissioners: They are proud to announce the 11th straight year with no tax increase. I know that y’all are pumped up — this is a good thing,” said four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Randall Cunningham.
“They are honored to serve the Hatfield community, and they wanted me to relay that message. So you all be blessed, and highly favored. Congrats,” he said, drawing laughs and a round of applause from the board.
Prior to kicking off the budget presentation for 2025, township Manager Aaron Bibro showed a video of highlights from 2024, including the March groundbreaking and ongoing work on the township’s new police station on Cowpath Road, a check presentation of grant funds for upgrades to Clemens Park, including a new sensory-inclusive playground; the annual Chapman Scholarships awarded by police to local students; and various park programs throughout the year.
Goals for 2025: completion of the police station and the Clemens Park upgrades, roughly $900,000 in repaving roads throughout the township, and applications for grant funds to fix “our most inefficient and dangerous intersection” at Welsh and Orvilla Roads.
Vertical construction is seen on the new Hatfield police station on Cowpath Road in Dec. 2024. (Credit: Hatfield Township)Other projects funded in the budget include roughly 1,500 feet of Liberty Bell Trail connecting the township to adjacent Hatfield Borough; a $100,000 contribution to VMSC — EMS, the emergency medical corps based on Broad Street in the township; and the expected opening of the next phase of the Route 309 Connector running thorough the township from Wambold Road in Towamencin toward 309 in Hilltown.
“You’ll see in Hatfield, 60 percent of the budget is for public safety — for police and fire protection,” the manager said, largely for police salaries and benefits plus the dedicated $649,000 from fire tax millage split between the township’s two fire companies.
“And rightfully so, because the first job of a local government is public safety. The investment from the commissioners into our police department has been obvious, and we see that being built on Cowpath Road,” he said.
Of the roughly $20.4 million total budget, $13.5 million is budgeted for the township’s general fund, and about 85 percent of the total budget is for salaries, personnel and other fixed costs; the biggest increase is a roughly $460,000 jump in pension costs, alongside roughly six percent increases in both healthcare and workers compensation costs.
Under the infrastructure category will fall road paving and stormwater management projects — “We’re up to about 95 percent of our township roads have been paved in the last 15 years,” said the manager — while the parks and recreation category will see roughly $2 million in parks capital money, largely for Clemens Park, plus roughly $365,000 for parks and rec programs which is dedicated to township events and programs, and maintaining and running park facilities.
Township revenue is “pretty consistent” with prior years, Bibro added, with a roughly even split between roughly $5 million in real estate tax income and just under that amount in earned income tax revenue, plus smaller amounts from intergovernmental transfers including contributions from Hatfield Borough, the township’s local services tax, and grants and other sources.
“The median taxpayer in Hatfield Township pays roughly $1,000 per year to the township, for real estate and earned income taxes. What you get is: an accredited police department, 31 officers, you get a centralized police station, two volunteer fire companies, a public works department which removes snow, stormwater maintenance, paving,” Bibro said, showing highlights of each department as he summarized their expenses.
Hatfield Township’s board of commissioners next meets at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8 at the township administration building, 1950 School Road. For more information visit www.Hatfield.org.
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