PECO’s profits skyrocket
PECO's net income surged nearly 48% to $814 million in 2025, driven largely by rate hikes approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission that included a 10% electricity increase and 12.5% gas increase. Critics, including Gov. Josh Shapiro and consumer advocates, argue that the utility — which operates as a monopoly — is earning excessive profits at ratepayers' expense. Pennsylvania ranks among the top states in the country for utility profit margins. The regulatory process, which typically ends in opaque "black box" settlements rather than public litigation, makes it difficult for consumers to understand how rates are set, prompting Shapiro to call for greater transparency and legislative limits on utility profits. PECO defends the increases as necessary to fund infrastructure upgrades and points to rising wholesale supply costs, while critics say the system is fundamentally broken because it rewards utilities for spending more — costs that are ultimately passed on to customers. Read more from WHYY.
Source: WHYY; 2/25/2026

DOL issues new proposed independent contractor rule
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to assess how workers are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The previous independent contractor rule used a totality of the circumstances test, which consisted of several factors to assess a worker’s classification. The new proposed rule rescinds the prior rule and proposes a new economic reality test. Under the economic reality test, there are two core factors that are considered: “(1) the nature and degree of the worker’s control over the work; and (2) the worker’s opportunity for profit or loss based on initiative and/or investment.” The two-factor test is primarily to assess whether a worker is in business for themselves or whether the worker is economically dependent on a potential employer for work. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is continuing to review the proposed rule to assess its impact on the real estate industry and its members. NAR will issue additional information about the proposed rule in the future.
Source: NAR; 3/3/2026

NAR offers FAQ on FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule
The National Association of Realtors has put together a FAQ to help real estate professionals better understand and navigate the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Residential Real Estate Rule. The rule requires designated professionals involved in real estate closings and settlements to report information about certain nonfinanced transactions to FinCEN. The rule’s purpose is to increase transparency and prevent money laundering and other criminal activity in the residential real estate sector by capturing information regarding the true owners behind legal entities that are engaged in transacting in real estate where there is no financing involved. Access the FAQ here.
Source: NAR; 2/26/2026

Opinion: Preservation can boost housing supply
An opinion column by Inga Saffron in the Philadelphia Inquirer contends that historic preservation is being unfairly blamed for Philadelphia’s housing affordability challenges. While critics argue that added oversight limits development and raises costs, Saffron cites a study commissioned by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia showing that older buildings provide lower-cost rentals and that historic districts have grown faster than the city overall. The report made two interesting observations: Apartments in older buildings rent for less than those in new ones; and protecting those older buildings actually helps maintain a supply of “naturally occurring affordable housing.”
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 3/3/2026 

New home buyers face ‘challenging market’ in Bucks
Bucks County's housing market remains deeply challenging for middle-class buyers in 2026, with the median home price sitting at $500,000. A potential buyer earning $75,000 would only qualify for a $250,000 mortgage at a 6.1% interest rate — a price point that is barely represented countywide. Tight inventory, limited available land, rising regulatory costs (estimated by the house-building industry at 30% of a home's price), and existing homeowners reluctant to give up low, pandemic-era mortgage rates have all contributed to the crunch. Unlike the 2007-2008 bubble, the problem is structural rather than speculative — there's simply not enough affordable supply. Economists see little near-term relief, with the best hope being that slower price growth and gradually rising wages eventually allow middle-class buyers to catch up.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 2/25/2026

Bensalem mayor says Neshaminy Mall redevelopment is slow, but active
Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem Township is moving toward a major mixed-use redevelopment, according to Mayor Joe DiGirolamo. Paramount Realty and Edgewood Properties, who purchased the 91-acre property for $27.5 million in July 2024, plan to demolish much of the existing structure while retaining anchor tenants Boscov's and Barnes & Noble. The conceptual plans also include residential components — apartments and townhouses, possibly with some age-restricted units — along with an interior walking area, aiming to transform the largely vacant mall into a regional mixed-use destination.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 3/2/2026

Ambulance services face growing costs, antiquated funding models
The financial sustainability of emergency ambulance services in Bucks County is increasingly under threat, as illustrated by the near-collapse of Upper Bucks Regional Emergency Medical Services, which was running a $40,000 to $60,000 monthly deficit before being rescued by St. Luke's University Health Network. Ambulance companies are driven by a funding model that hasn't kept pace with modern realities. Municipal support is sparse, with only 28% of Pennsylvania's municipalities contributing any financial support to their community’s emergency medical service. Only 8% of Pennsylvania municipalities dedicate a portion of their real estate tax revenue to support emergency ambulance services. Newtown EMS's Chief Evan Resnikoff — who is also president of the Bucks County EMS Chiefs’ Association — describes a constant scramble of billing battles, insurance negotiations and personal sacrifices — including working second jobs — just to keep the lights on. Advocacy groups, including the state ambulance association, push for Medicare reform, mandated municipal funding and a state EMS commissioner. Read more in the Bucks County Herald.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 2/26/2026

Lower Makefield stormwater fee coming in April
Lower Makefield Township will begin billing property owners for a new stormwater utility fee around April 1. The fee will be charged to all landowners with more than 299 square feet of impervious surface regardless of tax-exempt status. Enacted in December, the fee is structured in two tiers — $8.50 per month for smaller properties and $2.90 per month per 1,000 square feet for larger ones — and is designed to fund federally and state-mandated stormwater infrastructure improvements and reduce sediment pollution in local waterways. The Pennsbury School District faces roughly $63,400 annually, while the township itself owes about $80,000 per year on its own parcels. Credits are available for runoff-reduction efforts, and a pending state Supreme Court case may affect whether nonprofits ultimately must pay. The township has also secured over $8 million in federal and state grants for related projects, though officials say the recurring fee revenue is still necessary for ongoing stormwater management.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 2/25/2026

Doylestown nonprofit buys property for inclusive housing and marketplace
Doylestown nonprofit The Next Step Programs has purchased a 2.5-acre property on South Clinton Street in Doylestown Borough, marking a major milestone for "Adam’s Way" — a planned inclusive community featuring residential housing, a commercial marketplace, and programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The project aims to provide affordable housing, employment opportunities and community connection for people with IDD. The initiative is backed by a coalition of families, donors and local business owners, and was spearheaded by Next Step CEO Josh Fields, who said the next phase will focus on design, funding and land-use planning.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 2/27/2026 

Tredyffrin office park will convert to apartments
Suburban office-to-residential conversions remain rare compared to projects in Philadelphia, as remote locations, restrictive zoning and outdated building designs complicate redevelopment efforts, industry leaders say. One exception is the 162-unit conversion of an eight-building complex at 435 Devon Park Dr. in Tredyffrin Township, where developers Love Communities, E. Kahn Development Corp. and Triple Crown Corp. are transforming two-story, L-shaped brick offices into mostly studio and one-bedroom units aimed at middle-income renters. Elsewhere, proposals in places like East Whiteland have met resistance, with officials favoring demolition and new construction over direct conversions, even as some experts warn municipalities will eventually need to replace shrinking office tax bases.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 2/26/2026

Chesco economic council receives certification, rebrands for expansion
The Chester County Economic Development Council has been certified by the U.S. Treasury Department as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The council said the certification will allow it to expand its existing lending and business training activities on a regional basis to service more business owners and entrepreneurs. The council also received a $2 million grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development under the Highly Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program. The Chester County Economic Development Council will now operate under the banner of Ignite CDFI, a newly branded regional initiative designed to expand its reach into eight other counties to fuel small business growth, the agency said.
Source: Daily Local; 2/26/2026

Reconstruction underway of Phoenixville’s historic, 78-foot Ferris wheel
Phoenixville Borough officials expect to cut the ribbon on June 6 when the Phoenix Wheel, the oldest Ferris wheel in existence, begins its next chapter as a piece of art. The 133-year-old Phoenix Wheel delighted visitors to the Jersey shore’s Asbury Park for nearly a century from 1895 to 1988. Steelworkers in Phoenixville originally crafted the steel components in 1893. Now, through the efforts of the Schuylkill River Heritage Center, the Wheel will rise again as a 78-foot-high, 68-foot-wide permanent sculpture in the center of Phoenixville. The Wheel will be illuminated, and its base will be surrounded by glass fencing. Interpretive signage will detail the Wheel’s storied history and recognize the support of donors.
Source: Daily Local; 2/26/2026

Tredyffrin/Easttown school redistricting process takes shape
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District will form a steering committee to determine student boundaries for the new Bear Hill Elementary School, which is under construction and scheduled to open in August 2027. An ad hoc committee has outlined parameters for redistricting, including keeping neighborhoods intact, maintaining current middle school attendance boundaries and revising feeder patterns so students from Beaumont, Devon and Hillside elementaries attend Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School, while students from New Eagle, Valley Forge and Bear Hill attend Valley Forge Middle School, ensuring all Hillside students remain together. The steering committee will develop a redistricting plan for school board approval, with a proposal expected by the end of the fall. Read more about the redistricting plan here.
Source: Tredyffrin-Easttown Patch; 3/2/2026

North Coventry rejects ‘boutique’ data center idea
North Coventry Township supervisors voted on Feb. 23 to reject a proposed 120,000-square-foot, three-story “boutique” data center on nearly 18 acres off Route 724 before a formal application was submitted, following vocal opposition from more than 100 residents. The project, proposed by Envision Land Use for property at 299 W. Schuylkill Road, would have been air-cooled, employed about 12 full-time workers and generated an estimated $19,200 in annual township tax revenue, along with additional funds for Chester County and the Owen J. Roberts School District. The rejection vote comes amid a broader rush of data center proposals across the region and as state lawmakers debate House Bill 2151, which would create a voluntary statewide model ordinance for municipalities. State Sen. Katie Muth (D-44) has proposed a three-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, while Gov. Josh Shapiro has promoted the industry’s growth under new statewide standards aimed at transparency, environmental protection and ensuring developers cover infrastructure costs.
Source: Daily Local; 3/3/2026

Goose Creek in West Chester contaminated by discharge
On Feb. 28, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Southeast Regional Office Emergency Response responded to reports of a milky substance being discharged that allegedly caused a fish kill in Goose Creek, West Chester Borough. Borough officials traced the source to an outfall pipe located at Atmos Technologies in West Goshen Township. Atmos Technologies reported to DEP that chlorinated water from the tank was released to a containment area where it mixed with manufactured product known as Long Duration Foam AC-645, forming the foaming agent. DEP and West Chester Borough plugged the outfall pipe on Saturday, and the release was terminated in the afternoon. No further fish kill has been reported downstream. DEP followed up on March 1, and the creek appeared clear, with some foam accumulation present on debris. DEP is overseeing Atmos Technologies regarding the ongoing clean-up. DEP is also working in cooperation with West Chester Borough, West Goshen Township, Chester County Hazardous Materials Response Team and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission on its investigation. Read more on the West Goshen Township website.
Source: West Goshen Township; 3/2/2026