Article by: Frank H. Countess On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) created Qualified Opportunity Zones. There are numerous provisions contained in the TCJA that were discussed and analyzed thoroughly by the news media outlets, such as cuts to the Federal tax rates for corporations and reductions to the Federal personal income tax rates amongst others. One of the provisions contained in the TCJA that failed to attract any attention whatsoever was the provision related to establishing Qualified Opportunity Zones. The Opportunity Zone concept was conceived to spur economic development in low income population census tracts…. read more »
TRID is Here
Article by: Margaret “Mieke” Driscoll Ready or not, TRID (Truth in Lending – Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act Integrated Disclosures) is fully integrated into all residential real estate transactions involving residential mortgages, effective for all transactions inked after October 3, 2015. TRID does not apply to commercial real estate loans or cash deals. TRID are new regulations from the Federal Bureau of Financial Consumer Financial Protection that were born out of the Dodd-Frank Act in the wake of the Wall Street collapse in the late 2000s. They combine certain disclosures to the lender in the application process and closing process… read more »
Protect Yourself from Violating the Sunshine Act
Article by: Margaret “Mieke” Driscoll We at CGA have been following an important and interesting story in which the DA launched an investigation in Lancaster County in response to a Sunshine Act Violation. While no findings were made by the DA at this time and no charges will be brought, it is important to understand what this board did wrong in the eyes of the press and the DA (and what avoided prosecution at this time). The allegation: A Lancaster newspaper reporter alleged that the Manheim Township School Board violated the Sunshine Act by failing to disclose with enough specificity… read more »
The 2010 Permit Extension Act Reaches Further!
Article by: Jeffrey L. Rehmeyer II On July 6, 2010, General Assembly Act 46 of 2010 was signed into law. Act 46 was an Omnibus Bill amending the Pennsylvania Fiscal Code. A portion of the Act is Article XVI-I: The Permit Extension Act. The Act tolls “(t)he expiration date of an approval by government agency that is granted for or in effect during the extension…” The extension began December 31, 2008 and ends July 2, 2016. When the Act was adopted, it was recognized to apply to local approvals of Townships and Boroughs, such as building permits, land development approvals,… read more »
Proposed Williams Natural Gas Pipeline
Within the near future, landowners in southern York County will be faced with legal issues regarding the advent of another gas company seeking easements for its pipeline project to cross private property from west to east across the area. Williams Partners L.P. is finalizing plans for expansion of its 30-inch interstate natural gas pipeline. The proposed Rockies Connector Project, including over 350 miles of new pipeline, will extend from West Virginia to Williams’ Transco Compressor Station located in Peach Bottom Township near Delta PA. Williams proposes to lay over 36 miles of pipeline across southern York County. In documents supplied… read more »
