AS A MATTER FACT…
Davidson Road, Lerta District
“Why doesn’t the Boro
focus more on Economic
Development?”
The Boro is focused on
economic development. In
2010, the Boro established
LERTA Zones (Local Economic
Revitalization Tax Assistance
Zones) in multiple locations
throughout Plum to encourage
business growth. These zones
encourage new business growth
by offering tax breaks on new
business construction and
expansion. Ten LERTA Zones are
established throughout Plum, in
areas such as the Davidson Road
Business Park, Former Alcoa Site,
East Oakmont, Holiday Park and
all along the river from Oakmont
to the New Ken Border.
In 2018 the Boro adopted new
zoning regulations and created
a new zoning map to encourage
economic development into
strategic areas. The process
began in 2016 to completely
rewrite our regulations to permit
expanded business uses in
more areas and to encourage
growth in the industrial
and commercial zones.
Plum Boro also does not
levy any of the PA Act 511
business taxes like most
other communities. Act 511
business taxes are the 1%
gross business tax on sales
or commercial receipts.
Businesses with total sales or
revenues of $1,000,000 save
$10,000 annually if they move
into Plum.
We average 15-20 new
businesses starting or
relocating in the Boro each year.
Many regional and national
corporations have made Plum
their home due to the tax
incentives that we have. When
one national corporation moved
their regional distribution
center from the City to Plum,
26
PLUM
the company president
expressly stated that these tax
incentives were the driving force
behind the move.
“I heard that years ago,
the Boro decided to
make Plum exclusively a
residential community and
exclude businesses”
By law in Pennsylvania, no
Borough, Township or City can
exclude business or commercial
land use. Pennsylvania zoning
laws require that the Boro
identify specific locations for
every type of residential
and commercial use
within the Boro zoning
regulations. To
intentionally exclude
businesses from Plum
would not only be
improper land use
planning, it would
be a violation of
Pennsylvania law.
“The Boro needs to focus on
attracting more businesses
and not building 1,000
new homes”
It is true that we have nearly
1,000 news homes currently
expected to be constructed
over the next 5 years. Plum
has averaged 1-2% residential
housing growth per year over
the last 20 years. But that is not
because
we