Spring Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania

Spring Township is a township in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,208 at the 2010 census.[3]

Spring Township,
Perry County,
Pennsylvania
Township
Map of Perry County, Pennsylvania highlighting Spring Township
Map of Perry County, Pennsylvania
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyPerry
Settled1755
Incorporated1848
Area
 • Total28.81 sq mi (74.63 km2)
 • Land28.64 sq mi (74.17 km2)
 • Water0.18 sq mi (0.45 km2)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total2,208
 • Estimate 
(2016)[2]
2,216
 • Density77.38/sq mi (29.88/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)717 Exchange: 789
FIPS code42-099-72848

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 28.8 square miles (74.7 km²), all of it land.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
20102,208—
Est. 20162,216[2]0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,021 people, 746 households, and 595 families living in the township. The population density was 70.1 people per square mile (27.1/km²). There were 815 housing units at an average density of 28.3/sq mi (10.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.71% White, 0.30% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 746 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.6% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $48,594, and the median income for a family was $53,083. Males had a median income of $32,355 versus $26,979 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,644. About 5.1% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Spring Township is governed by three locally elected Township Supervisors. In Pennsylvania, the term of office of a Supervisor is 6 years. Township is one of 16 townships in Perry County, Pennsylvania. The Spring Township Supervisors Monthly Meetings are typically held at the Spring Township Municipal Building, 539 Paige Hill Road, Landisburg. In 2017, the Supervisors are: Douglas Wentzel, Chairman; Jesse Singleton, Vice Chairman and David McLauglin, Supervisor. The township has a planning commission. Membership on the commission is achieved through appointment by the Township supervisors.[6][7]

In 2017, Spring Township property owners were subject to the following millage rates: Spring Township Township - 0.23190 mills and Perry County 3.3125 mills.[8] The township also levies a $5 per year per capita tax on all residents 18 years or older. Spring Township does not levy an earned income tax or occupation tax. For 2017, West Perry School District's millage was 11.43 mills. West Perry School District also levies a 1.7% earned income tax which only applies to wage earners. Both social security income and pension income are exempted from the earned income tax, regardless of the wealth of the individual or the amount of the pension.[9]

The average yearly property tax paid by Perry County residents amounts to about 3.11% of their yearly income . Perry County is ranked 538th of the 3143 counties for property taxes as a percentage of median income.[10] According to a report prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the total real estate taxes collected by all school districts in Pennsylvania rose from $6,474,133,936 in 1999-2000 to $10,438,463,356 in 2008-2009 and to $11,153,412,490 in 2010-2011.[11] Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).[12]

County level

Three at-large elected county commissioners. The County is mandated by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to provide many social services to residents.[13][14] It is funded through countywide real estate taxes and funds from the state and federal government.

State level
Federal level
  • Louis J. Barletta, Republican, Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional District in 2013 after redistricting.
  • Pat Toomey, US Senator

Bob Casey, Jr., US Senator

Education
Map of Perry County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Residents of Spring Township may attend the local, public schools operated by West Perry School District which provides full day kindergarten through 12th grade. In 2016, the District's enrollment declined to 2,482 students.[15] In 2016, West Perry School District ranked 331st out of 493 public school districts for academic achievement of its pupils, by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[16] The 2016 graduation rate was 86%.[17]

High School students and adults can attend the publicly funded Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School which is located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. CPAVTA provides students training in the: construction and mechanical trades, culinary arts, health aids, computer technical careers and other fields. Students may also attend Capital Area Online Learning Association (CAOLA) online education programs. The service is operated by the Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15.

Spring Township residents may also apply to attend any of the Commonwealth's 13 public cyber charter schools (in 2015) at no additional cost to the parents. The resident’s public school district is required to pay the charter school and cyber charter school tuition for residents who attend these public schools.[18][19] By Commonwealth law, if the public school district provides transportation for its own students, then the District must also provide transportation to any school that lies within 10 miles of its borders. Residents may also seek admission for their school aged child to any other public school district. When accepted for admission, the student's parents are responsible for paying an annual tuition fee set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In 2015, the tuition fees for West Perry School District were: elementary school - $7,145.66, high school - $9,606.12.[20]

Capital Area Intermediate Unit #15 provides a wide variety of services to children living in its region which includes Spring Township. Early screening, special education services, speech and hearing therapy and many other services like driver education are available. Services for children during the preschool years are provided without cost to their families when the child is determined to meet eligibility requirements.

Libraries

Community members have access to the Community Library of West Perry County in Blain; the Bloomfield Public Library which is located in New Bloomfield and to the statewide PA Power Library which is an online library funded with tax dollars through the state's annual education budget.

School aged residents may also attend the Capital Area School for the Arts which is an arts charter school located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Armstrong Valley Christian School is one of several private schools that are also available to the Township's residents.

Community college

Spring Township residents have access to Harrisburg Area Community College. People residing in the community fund HACC through an annual payment made by West Perry School District.[21] Twenty two local public school districts are required to contribute annually to HACC, regardless of whether any residents are attending the college. Full-time students from these districts, who attend HACC, pay $1,674 for 12 credit hours.

References
  1. "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Aug 14, 2017.
  2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  3. "2010 Population Finder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. Spring Township Administration (2017). "Spring Township Planning Commission".
  7. Spring Township Comprehensive (2013). "Spring Township Comprehensive Plan" (PDF).
  8. Perry County Commissioners (2017). "2017 PERRY COUNTY MILLAGE RATES" (PDF).
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (April 2010). "Personal Income Taxation Guidelines".
  10. Tax-rates.org., The 2017 Tax Resource County Property Taxes, 2017
  11. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania School Finances - Summaries of Annual Financial Report Data 2010-11, 2011
  12. New Census Data on Property Taxes on Homeowners, Tax Foundation, September 22, 2009.
  13. Governor's Center for Local Government Services (June 2003). [County Commissioners Handbook "Citizen's Guide to Pennsylvania Local Government"] Check |url= value (help).
  14. Governor’s Center for Local Government Services (2003). "County Commissioners Handbook".
  15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (November 4, 2016). "West Perry School District Fast Facts 2016".
  16. Pittsburgh Business Times (April 12, 2016). "Chester County district leads statewide Honor Roll 2016".
  17. PDE, Graduation rate by LEA and School, 2016
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "Charter Schools".
  19. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "What is a Charter School?".
  20. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2015). "Pennsylvania Public School District Tuition Rates".
  21. cate McKissick (April 15, 2013). "Harrisburg school district OKs smaller HACC contribution amount for next year".

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