RESOLUTION NO 1 OF 2025
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOROUGH OF BOLIVAR, COUNTY OF WESTMORELAND, AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA REQUESTING SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 194
Be it RESOLVED, that the Borough of Bolivar of Westmoreland County hereby
Requests that you support Senate Bill 194, that would provide local governments with a flexible menu of print and electronic options for advertising public notices.
Times undoubtedly change. In 1976, when current legal advertising law was passed by the General Assembly, printed newspapers were the only way to reach large audiences in the public. But that was more than 45 years ago. Today, the vast majority of Pennsylvanians obtain their news from sources other than printed newspapers.
While print newspapers are a critical part of the American news landscape, they have been hit hard as more and more Americans consume news digitally. The fact that print newspaper circulation has been steadily decreasing is undeniable. According to the Pew Research Center, weekday print circulation decreased from 63.3 million copies in 1984 to 28.5 million in 2018, which was lower than circulation in 1940. More recent data is not available as the newspapers no longer make this type of data available. The New York Times has also reported that 1 in 5 papers have shut down in the last 15 years due to the poor state of newspaper circulation.
As the number and frequency of printed newspapers has declined, purchasing print advertising has not only become more expensive, but local governments have been forced to plan their meeting around a newspaper’s print schedule. This inefficiency can result in costly delays in construction projects, finalizing contracts, taking action on personnel matters, or responding to the latest health and safety guidance for operating during a pandemic.
Allowing newspapers of general circulation, a monopoly on the transparency of local governments is not only outdated and extremely inefficient, it is harmful to
Our taxpayers. This monopoly on transparence has allowed newspapers to get creative with different types of fees and surcharges to place on local governments when placing these advertisements, which has made this process even more expensive. For example, newspapers have begun to charge local governments fees to place the advertisements on the digital version of their paper, even though it is not required by law. There have also been convenience fees placed upon invoices to local governments for submitting the advertisements through a portal provided by a third party. This process essentially charges the taxpayers more money and requires the local government’s administrators to do more work, while the newspapers have less work and increase their profits. Local taxpayers should not be subsidizing newspaper’s bottom line when there are a variety of other spaces to make the public aware of the local government’s business.
It is important to note that the previous versions of this legislation that were supported by the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs provide for significant public transparency and opportunities for public comment prior to a local government utilizing an advertising method other than a printed newspaper by requiring:
- Adoption of a resolution approving the use of one or more of the allowable alternative methods for public notice, and adoption of a new resolution for any future changes.
- Following adoption of any resolution, publishing a printed notice in a newspaper of general circulation announcing the methods that will be used.
- Posting a copy of each public notice prominently at the principal office of the local government or in the building in which it meets.
- Retention of a copy of each public notice for no less than 3 years.
The Westmoreland County Borough’s Association and all of our boroughs value transparency and our taxpayers’ hard – earned money. Providing reform around the antiquated provisions of public notices will enable our council to be more efficient in our governance and dedicate more funding towards essential services, local roads and bridges, and police services. Lease support Senate Bill 194 and any other legislation that would provide relief for our boroughs and the other municipal governments in Pennsylvania,
IN WITNESS THEREOF, I affix my hand and attached the seal of the borough of Bolivar this 6th day of November, 2025
Bolivar Borough
Westmoreland County
Patricia Betts Lewis McLaughlin
Witness, Patricia Betts, Secretary Lewis McLaughlin, President
Bolivar Borough Council