CCCA needs your help for legal action in Columbia

"We the People of Columbia, PA desperately need your help”…

We are residents and property owners who live in a small town in the U.S.A. (Columbia Borough, PA having a population of 10,400 with 19.5% in poverty and with 27% elderly or disabled residents) whose local government council and mayor have run amuck with tremendous overspending of revenues (almost $2.5 Million in 2 years) and unjust ordinances.  It has become necessary to organize the Columbia Concerned Citizens Association  (CCCA); a PA registered Unincorporated Nonprofit Association whose purpose is to:

“Act as a "watchdog" and to oversee the Borough of Columbia governmental agencies, as defined by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Law, to help assure legal, ethical, just, and professional actions are taken with complete transparency by said agencies; and, initiate any lawful actions to correct any illegal, unethical, unjust, non-transparent, and unprofessional actions by said agencies.”

Because CCCA is going to court!!!...we are respectfully asking for contributions to help cover legal and court costs (estimated to be $20,000 to $50,000) to fight an arrogant and irresponsible town council and mayor who have turned their backs on residents and taxpayer’s prayers, petitions, and pleas to repeal an unnecessary, burdensome, and excessive property tax ordinance (over 21% increase) and a revolving loan fund ordinance authorizing $1.5 million of taxpayer dollars to be lent to corporate entities for their use and profit when Article IX Section 9 of the Pa. State Constitution states: 

“The General Assembly shall not authorize any municipality or incorporated district to become a stockholder in any company, association or corporation, or to obtain or appropriate money for, or to loan its credit to, any corporation, association, institution, or individual.” 

We truly believe our State Constitution prohibits the loaning of money and that the Borough’s Revolving Loan Fund Ordinance No. 897 is unlawful and should be void.  It is the poisoned tree and the fruit there from is poisoned as well including: 

*An agreement to a third party to administer the loans 
*A $250,000 loan to a corporation
*A 2019 Budget containing a line item to loan $800,000, which equates to 1.88 mills of  property tax money                 
*A Taxation Ordinance No. 907 that increases Borough property taxes in 2019 by 1.4 mills

With $800K eliminated, the tax increase should be eliminated. Unfortunately, the town’s Borough Council, Mayor, and Solicitor believe otherwise.  

True to our purpose and mission, it has become necessary to obtain the services of other agencies and attorneys to file complaints and injunctions to combat the grossly improper actions of the Columbia Borough Council and Mayor.  

Please help us win the battle! 

Our Sincere Thank You for your kind and generous contribution to our just cause!!

Terry Ann Doutrich, Treasurer