Our Vision and Mission Statement

We choose to live in Perkasie for a reason. It’s a place where our families feel safe, our history is valued, and our local businesses give our town its unique character. But protecting what makes our hometown special doesn't happen by accident. It demands experienced leadership and a real commitment to every resident and taxpayer. As your Hometown Team for Borough Council, our pledge is to preserve what we all love about Perkasie. We will fight to keep our neighborhoods safe, ensure our public services are efficient and reliable, and protect the historic charm that makes this America's Hometown. Let’s keep Perkasie a town we’re all proud to call home. Vote for the experienced leadership of the Hometown Team on Election Day.

Perkasie’s Hometown Team for Borough Council views our town as a special place that requires an experienced team dedicated to public service that represents all residents and taxpayers fairly.

To those ends, we establish the following goals and priorities:

1. Keeping Perkasie as America’s Hometown

Perkasie is more than just a town; it's a community with a unique spirit and a rich history. Perkasie Hometown understands this and is deeply committed to preserving the special character that makes Perkasie such a wonderful place to live. We believe our experienced representation will ensure the values and traditions we cherish continue to thrive for all residents.

Priorities:

• It is not about national or state politics; it is about the best leadership team for Perkasie.

• Perkasie has been a special community for generations based upon family, friends, and shared culture. We vow to treat all residents and taxpayers equally with respect to their personal beliefs.

• Smart management of public safety, public power, and public works services, combined with low taxes, will keep Perkasie as an affordable place to live compared with its neighbors.

• Connecting economic development with historic preservation will bring in funding to invigorate businesses and our community. Understanding our past is the best way to plan for our future.

• Our traditions from America’s Oldest Municipal Tree Lighting to Community Day to the Under the Stars car show are important and should be supported.

2. Creating Opportunities for Economic Development

Perkasie Hometown recognizes that our economic development policies and community initiatives are part of a statewide funding plan that requires the cooperation of all levels of government, non-profit organizations, and local businesses to succeed.

Priorities:

• Aligning Perkasie’s Economic Development plan with the state’s vision of “investing in our people and our communities to build a stronger Pennsylvania that works for all the residents, workers, businesses, and entrepreneurs.”

• Establishing a Main Street program through the state’s Main Street Matters program will permit small businesses to benefit from business improvement grants and façade grants.

• Promoting Perkasie as a desirable business location through hiring a state-funded Main Street manager and developing a marketing program to attract investment.

• Creating flexible zoning opportunities to allow small businesses to utilize existing properties.

• Maintaining Perkasie’s robust calendar of public events to position the Borough as a regional cultural destination.

3. Connecting Historic Preservation with Economic Development

The key to smart development in Perkasie is to adapt and reuse buildings and structures located in a historic district or a locally designated inventory of historic buildings to leverage tax credits, provide state-funded loans, and provide flexible zoning. This value proposition will make Perkasie an attractive retail destination.

Priorities:

• Listing of the current proposed Perkasie Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places

• Developing a Historic Inventory of buildings and structures outside of the Historic District

• Promoting the federal Historic Preservation tax credit of 20% and state Historic Preservation tax credit of 25% to develop properties on the register or inventory.

• Providing state-funded microgrants and forgivable microloans through Main Street Matters to adapt and reuse properties on the register or inventory.

• Establishing a local Historical Commission to update our Historic Preservation plan and Historic property inventory, award façade grants, work with a local financial institution on microgrants and microloans, and plan Perkasie anniversary events.

  
  

4. Prioritizing Public Safety

The well-being of every Perkasie resident is our top priority. Perkasie Hometown stands with our police department, Perkasie Fire Company No. 1, and all first responders. Their commitment keeps our community safe. We also must be prepared to deal with the challenges of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to the digital infrastructure that supports all Borough activities.

Priorities:

• Providing our public safety team members with the resources needed to continue their vital work.

• Ensuring continued grant funding for the regional co-responder program that pairs social services professionals with law enforcement.

• Putting cybersecurity measures in place to protect the personal and private information of residents, and to shield our digital infrastructure from compromising attacks.

• Taking proactive measures to contain road traffic safety issues through the use of passive signage and speed restrictions.

• Working with the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy and government agencies on stormwater and floodplain management planning and remediation efforts.

5. Promoting Public Power

We often take for granted the reliable power we enjoy in Perkasie, and that's a testament to the incredible work of our Borough's Electric Department. The Borough is one of 36 in the state that owns the local grid in its town. Perkasie Hometown recognizes the exceptional service Perkasie Electric provides, consistently ranking among the best in the state. We are committed to ensuring its continued success and the uninterrupted power supply our community depends on.

Priorities:

• Managing the Borough’s portfolio of power-supply purchases to ensure competitive residential and commercial rates.

• Adding “behind the meter” power-supply resources to lessen costs during peak-usage periods.

• Ensuring cybersecurity measures are in place to protect the grid.

• Forming a Public Power Advisory Board of residents and taxpayers to solicit public input and comment on rates and customer service.

6. Supporting Public Works

Perkasie residents and taxpayers know the Borough offers more public services than neighboring towns. Perkasie is one of two municipalities in Bucks County that owns its refuse program. Its trash-bag program, combined with a toter option, make great service affordable. We are one of eight municipalities in the county with a public recycling center. And public works keeps Borough-owned streets clear during storms.

Perkasie Hometown recognizes these efforts only happen with the support of an engaged local government committed to the success of our Public Works team.

Priorities:

• Keeping our roads clear and clean through long-term investments in staffing and equipment.

• Maintaining adequate money in the Road Improvement Fund to keep the Borough on an aggressive street maintenance schedule.

• Providing affordable refuse rates through the Borough’s hybrid toter-bag program.

• Engaging in talks with PennDOT to improve maintenance of its roads within Perkasie.

• Seeking grant funding to offset state-mandated recycling costs.

  
  

7. Investing in Our Parks and Rec System

Our parks and recreation areas, from the expansive Lenape Park to the historic Menlo Park Carousel, are vital assets that enrich the lives of everyone in Perkasie. Perkasie Hometown believes in investing in these spaces, recognizing them as the heart of our community. We are committed to their preservation and continued improvement for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

Priorities:

• Seeking grant funding to offset the costs of maintaining the Parks system, including the ecosystem that supports the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek.

• Establishing an independent fund that can accept public donations and directed giving to support the parks system and recreation programs.

• Expanding the trails system within Lenape Park and within the Borough to complete its section of the Liberty Bell Trail plan.

• Developing a 10-year maintenance and funding plan for the Menlo Aquatic Center.

• Adding new open-space properties in or near the FEMA floodplain to the parks system.