$4M In Grants Generated By Parx Casino Revenue To Lower Bucks
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LEVITTOWN, PA – The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Bucks has awarded more than $4 million in grants from funds generated at Parx Casino in Bensalem Township.
The Redevelopment Authority Board of Directors approved the grants to eligible municipalities at its Dec. 9 public meeting at the Redevelopment Authority’s office in Bristol Borough.
The grants will be used for a variety of municipal projects that include infrastructureimprovements, facilities, health and public safety, human services and equipment for law
enforcement, firefighters, and emergency responders.
Lower Bucks towns that will benefit from the grants include: Bensalem Township, Bristol Borough and Bristol Township, Morrisville, Lower Southampton Township, Penndel, Langhorne and Langhorne Manor and Hulmeville.
"Thanks to the leadership of recently retired State Sen. Robert "Tommy" Tomlinson, we have seen firsthand the meaningful difference the Municipal Grant Program has made to improve and protect our communities,” said Ralph DiGuiseppe, the board's chairman said.
"Sen. Tomlinson’s vision for the gaming legislation has resulted in tens of millions of dollars being used locally to address gaming’s impact on our region while reducing the burden on the local taxpayers," he said. "I am glad we can help impacted municipalities and provide police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders with the equipment, training, and resources they need to keep us safe. I would like to thank the Authority Board and staff for spending many hours reviewing each application before making the final decision," he said.
Tomlinson said that the municipal grant program has been "more successful than I could have ever envisioned" when legislation to legalize gambling was first drafted.
Since its creation, the Redevelopment Authority has awarded more than $56 million in grant funding to local municipalities, he said.
"These projects include grants to support our first responders with equipment such as radios, oxygen tanks, and vehicles; funding improvements to our local infrastructure; and working to support community initiatives throughout the lower end of Bucks County. I know that this money will be put to good use serving our community,” Tomlinson added.
Executive Director of the Authority, Jeff Darwak noted “This year we received 49 grant applications requesting over $7.2 million in funding and were able to support 42 projects. I am pleased that we can assist municipalities with important infrastructure, facility, health and public safety and law enforcement projects, many of which span numerous jurisdictions and involve partnerships amongst multiple municipalities."
Funds for the Municipal Grant Program are provided by 1 percent of the gross terminal
revenue from Parx Casino, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Race Horse and Development Gaming Act of 2004, as reenacted and amended by the Act of Oct. 30, 2017.
Grants from the gaming revenues are authorized by the Board of Directors of the Redevelopment Authority under the Municipal Grant Program created by the Act from language introduced by Tomlinson.
Since the inception of the Municipal Grant Program in 2008, the Redevelopment Authority has awarded more than $56 million for eligible projects. The municipal grant application process is administered by the Redevelopment Authority and offered annually along with application guidance to each of the eligible municipalities.
- Bristol Borough Public Works Dump Truck —$115,450
- Bristol Borough Public Works Bobcat —$83,986
- Bristol Borough Public Works Pick-up Truck —$69,275
- Bristol Borough Police Tasers —$10,568
- Bristol Borough Police Patrol Vehicle Acquisition —$70,561
- Bristol Borough Fire Department Water Rescue Equipment —$44,176
- Relocate Essential Fire and Rescue Communication Equipment at Grundy Towers — $50,000
- Bucks County Rescue Squad Ambulance Acquisition —$158,178
- Lower Bucks Public Safety Training Center —$550,000
- Morrisville Borough Police Department Vehicles Acquisition - via County of Bucks —$133,324
- Feasterville Fire Co., Lower Southampton Fire Dept. & Lower Southampton Township Fire Marshal Office Self-contained Breathing Apparatus Replacement Project —$200,000
- Lower Southampton Township Police Vehicles & Equipment Acquisition —$78,746
- Lower Southampton Township Road Improvements —$100,000
- Hulmeville Borough Road Repair and Resurfacing —$195,000
- Hulmeville Borough Traffic Signal Modernization —$25,191
- William Penn Fire Company Boiler Replacement —$68,500
- Towns Against Graffiti - Partnership of 9 Municipalities for Graffiti & Litter Removal —$165,000
- Bucks County Police Chiefs Association RMS Integration —$115,600
- Middletown Township Police Vehicles Acquisition —$246,510
- Middletown Township Public Works Vehicles Acquisition —$202,590
- Penndel-Middletown Emergency Squad Power Stretchers —$65,184
- Langhorne Manor Borough Stormwater Management Project —$125,515
- Langhorne Manor Borough Hall Repairs —$53,800
- Penndel-Middletown Emergency Squad Stair Chair Replacement —$24,591
- Penndel Borough Hall Renovations —$139,416.60
- Langhorne Borough Police Vehicle Acquisition —$65,751
- Langhorne Borough Municipal and Police Software Acquisition —$19,509
- Langhorne Borough Police Department Weapon Enhancement and Acquisition —$7,179
- Langhorne Borough Police Department Radio Batteries Replacement —$2,971
- Penndel-Middletown Emergency Squad Auxiliary Communication Equipment Acquisition— $19,450
- Bristol Township Traffic Signal Upgrade Project —$211,000
- Bristol Township Traffic Signal Video Detection Upgrade —$60,000
- Bristol Township Police Department Body and In-Dash Camera System Project —$100,000
- Bristol Township Storm Sewer Inlet Replacement Project —$175,000
- Bristol Township Firefighting and Rescue Equipment for Township Firefighters —$20,000
- Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad Cardiac Monitors —$20,000
- Edgely Fire Company Rescue Tools —$20,000
- Levittown Fire Company #2 Paratech Vehicle Stabilization Struts —$20,000
- Croydon Fire Company Tablets and Laptops —$20,000
- Third District Fire Company Rescue Equipment —$20,000
- Newportville Fire Company Floor Replacement —$13,298
- Bucks County Rescue Squad Building Improvements —$150,000
