Bristol Township passes $76.3M 2026 budget with no tax increase – Bucks Round-Up – December 22, 2025
Bristol Township passes $76.3M 2026 budget with no tax increase
Bristol Township Council approved its $76.3 million 2026 budget. The spending plan includes $60.5 million in operating expenses and $15.5 million for capital projects. Township Manager Randee Mazur explained to council the budget shows a conservative approach and the township’s continued financial stability, noting there will be no increases to real estate taxes or user fees in 2026. A one-mill increase for fire companies was approved last year. For the average homeowner with an assessed value of $20,000, township real estate taxes total $499.60 annually, or $41.63 per month. When refuse fees and streetlight assessments are included, the average homeowner pays $929.85 to the township. Mazur said that township taxes represent only a portion of residents’ total property tax bills, which also include school district and county taxes. The township’s primary revenue sources remain earned income tax, real estate taxes, local services tax and mercantile tax. A new revenue stream for 2026 comes from red light camera systems on Route 13 and Route 413, which are estimated to generate $3.4 million. After revenue sharing and expenses, the township expects to net about $2.8 million. Police services account for the largest share of spending at 57.5 percent of the total budget. Planned staffing additions for 2026 include a manager of communications, information systems technician, building maintenance supervisor, and accountant. Capital projects scheduled for 2026 include replacing rooftop units on township buildings, adding a sign shop for public works, and continuing long-term park restoration projects. Fire station renovations are being carried out with $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act money, and several additional capital projects will be funded through grants. Equipment purchases include body cameras, in-car cameras, drones, and portable radios for police, along with personal protective equipment for the career fire department. The township will also continue work on storm sewers, sewer lining, and wastewater treatment plant upgrades. The liquid fuels fund will support expanded road paving, curb ramp installations, and storm drain upgrades.
Lower Makefield adopts stormwater utility fee
The Lower Makefield Township Board of Supervisors last week enacted a new stormwater utility fee by a vote of four to one. The levy will flow to a $2.1 million fund to improve stormwater infrastructure, a subject that has caused residents much concern after a major July 2023 flood overwhelmed the township’s Maplevale neighborhood and killed seven people in Upper Makefield. Supervisor James McCartney (D) was the only no-vote on the fee. Property owners with between 300 and 5,000 square feet will pay $8.50 per month. Proprietors owning more than 5,000 square feet of impermeable surface must pay $2.90 a month for every 1,000 square feet, rounded up.
Bucks judge sends man to prison for illegal gun purchases
A Bucks County judge handed down a stiff prison sentence Friday in a gun trafficking case that authorities say put dangerous weapons onto the streets of the region. Raheem Evans, a 33-year-old Philadelphia man with a prior felony robbery conviction, was sentenced to twelve to 24 years in state prison following a jury conviction on 22 firearms-related counts, including conspiracy and illegal possession. Prosecutors said Evans orchestrated a “straw purchase” scheme in 2020, using a woman he met on Facebook to buy guns he was legally barred from owning. Investigators traced at least ten firearms to Evans, five of which have since been recovered and linked to drug and shooting investigations. The case was investigated by Pennsylvania State Police and the ATF, with assistance from multiple local departments, and presided over by Common Pleas Judge Stephen Corr.
Bensalem Police accuse man of serial burglary
In Bensalem, police say they have taken into custody a suspect believed to be responsible for a string of brazen overnight burglaries across Bucks and surrounding counties. Officers arrested 56-year-old Richard Sturts after locating him near the Cornwells Heights train station earlier this month. Investigators allege Sturts used a dark Chevy Silverado to ram glass doors at targeted businesses, including Bob Nolan’s Auto Service on Bristol Pike, before crawling inside and stealing cash registers. Similar break-ins were reported in Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Chester counties. Police tracked the vehicle using license plate reader technology and arrested Sturts on outstanding warrants. He later admitted his involvement in the burglaries, according to authorities. Bail was set at ten percent of $150,000 and he was remanded to Bucks County Prison.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490. Bradley Vasoli is the senior editor of The Independence.
