Taxes, curriculum discussed at Pennridge candidate forum – Bucks Round-Up – October 1, 2025
Taxes, curriculum discussed at Pennridge candidate forum
Local League of Women voters hosted a candidate forum for aspiring school directors at Pennridge School District last night at Pennridge North Middle School. A slate of four Republicans is now vying against four Democrats to retake the school board majority the GOP lost in 2023. Republican hopeful Jonathan Russell took the current majority-Democrat board to task for raising taxes without what he considered a transparent process. He further lamented that property taxes went up 3.6% for the current year despite the district’s tax base having broadened. “The thinking is, our tax revenue has increased every year,” he said. “We can do that without raising taxes, or at least we should be able to without the tax rate being increased.” Democratic candidate Thomas Trauger cautioned against budgeting that he feared could compromise educational quality. “We should not be touching anything that relates to lowering the academic standards that we’ve had over the last couple of years that have helped the rankings come up into the 25% of Pennsylvania [schools],” he said. Democrats unfavorably recalled a contract a GOP-led board approved, and that a newly elected Democratic majority quickly cancelled, in 2023 with the Vermilion Education consultancy to develop a new curriculum for Pennridge. Democratic candidate Carly Taylor repeated complaints left-wing faculty voiced about the policy at the time. “Teachers are still wary to trust the district with their career,” she said. GOP candidates did not raise the possibility of pursuing a similar contract if they retake the board majority, though Republican candidate Brian McMullen said he had no problem with enlisting the help of contractors in curriculum development. “You do trust your experts, but there’s no problem with bringing in outside experts and seeing what they’ve got to say,” he said, adding he took issue with the timeline according to which the social studies curriculum would be determined under Vermilion. “The process wasn’t a good one.”
Bristol Borough woman sentenced in husband’s homicide
A Levittown woman was sentenced Tuesday to 10 to 30 years in state prison for the 2023 shooting death of her husband at the Bristol Borough Wharf. Sammar Khan, 42, pleaded guilty earlier this summer to third-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and reckless endangerment in the killing of 38-year-old Faisal Iqbal. During sentencing before Judge Jeffrey Finley, testimony was presented that Khan suffered years of domestic abuse. Prosecutors did not dispute the abuse but argued it did not excuse the shooting. On May 30, 2023, police found Khan at the scene with blood on her clothing and Iqbal dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Witnesses said the couple argued near the waterfront before shots rang out, followed by a violent struggle. Khan ultimately fired multiple times, including at close range as Iqbal collapsed. The case was investigated by Bristol Borough Police and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Trespass arrest at Pennsbury High School
Falls Township Police arrested a man Tuesday morning after he allegedly trespassed at Pennsbury High School’s East Campus. Police identified the suspect as 36-year-old Christopher Rushforth. According to a letter sent to parents, Rushforth approached students and staff around 8 a.m., asking if the building was secure and pressing unusual questions. Both students and a maintenance worker refused him entry and quickly alerted authorities. When officers arrived, Rushforth attempted to flee but was taken into custody. He now faces trespassing charges. District officials assured parents that the incident was resolved quickly and that no students were harmed.
Bensalem pursues grant for police data system
Bensalem Township is seeking grant funding to maintain a countywide records-sharing program used by 39 police departments. Director of Administration John Chaykowski explained to council that the system allows officers across Bucks County to access each other’s databases, improving investigations that cross municipal lines. The program costs about $118,900 annually, covering software and data storage. The township plans to request funds through the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority to support the system, which local officials say has become an essential tool in law enforcement cooperation.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490. Bradley Vasoli is the senior editor of The Independence.
