Beaver Falls Officials Make Their Case For A Home Rule Charter

Beaver Falls council members made their case for the option of a home rule charter through a public vote during a meeting at the council chambers Thursday night.

Councilman Kevin Kunselman stressed the weight of the home rule option in front of the crowded room of constituents.

“In my opinion, this is the most serious, critical, important decision, that the voters of Beaver Falls are going to make on April 28 of this year,” he said.

A home rule charter is a local constitution forged by the municipality that “grants certain limited powers” and provides “an opportunity to customize local government” based on community needs while abiding by the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions.

The driving force behind opting to a home rule charter is to combat the city’s projected deficits from flat revenue streams and rising expenditures and to “avoid being taken over by the State under Act 47 due to financial distress.”