JUST THE (FINANCIAL) FACTS
We have spent hundreds of hours analyzing the budget of Chester County
and have come to a troubling conclusion:
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Major tax increases are inevitable unless we cut spending now.
FACT #1
We are living on borrowed money.
Between Covid relief ($145m) and Biden's ARP package ($102m), Chester County received over $247 MILLION extra federal dollars in 2020 and 2021.
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What did West Chester do with the money? They embedded these costs that now we must pay for in increased taxes!
FACT #2
Expenditures are increasing rapidly.
Between 2024 and 2025, expenses increased drastically. Payroll costs alone increased $20 million.​
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Leadership in West Chester seems to think the taxpayer is a bottomless piggy bank!
FACT #3
Taxes increased in 2025 to pay for the new debt.
There is no other way to pay for the budget shortfall than by taxing you more every year.​
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We think this is a poor way to run a county government.
FACT #4
Our tax base growth is slowing.
As Chester County matures, the growth in our tx base is projected to be below 1% per year, making it harder to raise money.​
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A lack of fiscal restraint will create a debt-ladened, stagnant economy which will cause residents to suffer.
FACT #5
The overall debt burden is near record levels.
There is no money left to pay off the maturing debt, and the 2025 budget indicates that West Chester will plan to borrow $79 million over the next 5 years.
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This will lead to a total debt burden of $700 million (including interest), a historic level.
FACT #6
Grants are shrinking.
Federal grants make up 40% of our county budget, making it a critical revenue source.​
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Starting in 2025, grants are being reduced at the federal level, with no plan to cover them.