Nov 12, 2017 2 min read

Most boroughs in Washington County have been losing population and businesses to townships. Boroughs are becoming poorer, and townships becoming richer.

Townships can now provide more and better services than boroughs. So, to better serve the residents of Houston, in early 2016 I proposed “Plan A,” which would have unincorporated Houston into the surrounding townships. This would have lowered taxes by 60 percent, given us 24/7 police protection, free recycling and a planning commission.

However, by May, 2016, I concluded that township governments were not representative enough, so I dropped Plan A. Then I came up with “Plan B,” which would have absorbed Chartiers Township into Houston. That would have given Chartiers Township residents more representation. But that was short-lived — Chartiers Township is old and proud. It has a unique name, and would not change it for a common name like Houston.

My newest plan, “Better Together Plan C,” would incorporate all of the Chartiers- Houston School District into The City of Chartiers- Houston, which would consist of three boroughs — Chartiers, Houston, and Meadowlands. This could be done under Pennsylvania’s home rule law. This is not a unique idea — New York City is made up of five boroughs.

Better Together Plan C could work with other school districts. For example, The City of Canon-McMillan would be made up of the boroughs of Canonsburg, Cecil, and North Strabane. Or, The City of Avella would be made up of the boroughs of Hopewell, Independence, Jefferson, Cross Creek, and West Middletown.

With Better Together Plan C, school districts would be the new political entities, giving everyone more representation and better services.

Demo Agoris

Houston