Q: What is the due date for Mercantile / Business Privilege License/Tax forms?
A: The Mercantile/Business Privilege License/Tax return is due April 15th each calendar year.
If a business begins after April 15th, the license/estimated tax is due 40 days after the business opens.
The new Mercantile / Business Privilege license / tax forms are available for download:
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Q: How do I get on the Township's bidders list for goods and/or services?
A: Send written information i.e. line cards, catalogs, business cards, and your business' type of work, requesting to be put on the bidder's list (PDF) located on the website. Sales representatives, please call 610-645-6148 to schedule an appointment. The Township's Guide for Contracting for goods and/or services is available in the Purchasing Division Office.
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Q: Does Lower Merion Township have an Emergency and Municipal Services Tax (EMST)?
A: No, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Act 7 of 2007 amended the Local Tax Enabling Act, Act 511 of 1965, to make major changes to the Emergency and Municipal Service Tax (EMST) effective January 1, 2008. The EMST is being renamed the Local Services Tax (LST) to better reflect how the funds are used by municipalities. Like the EMST, the LST is a payroll tax in the amount of $52 per year paid by ALL individuals (employed or self-employed) who work in the Township and are not eligible for an exemption. However, delinquent EMST is still collected for the years 2005 through 2007.
Any individual (self-employed or employee) who earns $3,500 or more per calendar year is required to pay EMST. A payment of $52 is due in the first quarter in which the individual reaches $3,500. It is the responsibility of the employer to deduct and remit this tax.
Emergency and Municipal Services Tax was due on or before the last day of April, July, October and January for the four quarters ending the last day of March, June, September and December. Late returns are subject to penalty of ½% per month and interest of ½% per month.
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Q: Who do I call about business tax questions?
A: For general questions about business taxes, processing issues or for information on setting up a new account please the business tax hotline at 610-645-6142. For more complex questions regarding Township regulations or ordinances please contact John Darden, Business Tax Compliance Specialist (610-645-6143). For your convenience, your questions may also be emailed to businesstax@lowermerion.org.
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Q: What is the Sanitary Sewer Rental Rate?
A: The sanitary sewer rate for 2009 is $3.18 per thousand gallons of water consumption.
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Q: How do I find out what goods and/or services are being bid by the Township?
A: Formal Bids (those valued at $10,000 or over) are available on-line in the Current Bid section in the Purchasing Division section. In addition bids are advertised in the Legal Section of the Main Line Times.
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Q: Are there dollar limits which govern the purchasing procurement method?
A: Yes. They are as follows:
Individual Township departments may make purchases via their own staff for supplies/services where the value does not exceed $1000 and are NOT under contract via annual supply contracts. The Purchasing Division will obtain price quotes for supplies/services where the value falls between $1,000 and $9,999.
For most purchases exceeding $10,000 formal sealed bids are required. This requires that an advertisement be placed in the local paper with a set time and place for receipt of a sealed bid.
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Q: Will the Township accept faxed bids?
A: Bid quotes valued under $10,000 can be faxed. Sealed bids and Request for Proposals that exceed $10,000 in value cannot be delivered via fax.
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Q: Where and when are bid openings held?
A: Bid openings are generally held at the Township Administration Building, 2nd. Fl. Board Room at 11:00am.
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Q: Who do I call if I have a question about my sewer rent bill?
A: If your question is related to payment of the bill, call the Township Treasurer's Office at 610-645-6181. All other sewer questions are handled by the Finance Department, at 610-645-6144.
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Q: What is a sanitary sewer rent bill?
A: A sanitary sewer rent bill is for water discharged from your property from any drain into the Township's sanitary sewer system. Your sanitary sewer rent bill should arrive during the first week of June. The bill is based on your prior year's water consumption as reported by the Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. If you have not received a bill by the end of the first week of June, please call the Finance Department at 610-645-6144. Refer to the front of your bill for due dates and the bottom of your bill for important general information.
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Q: Does the Township conduct surplus sales?
A: Surplus vehicles and assorted equipment and supplies are usually disposed of through Public Auction or sealed bids. In order to be placed on bidder's list for these sales, please call 610-645-6148.
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Q: Does the Township advertise bid solicitations?
A: The Township advertises all contracts for goods and services valued over $10,000 in the Main Line Times.
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Q: Are there Bond and/or Insurance requirements when submitting bids to the Township?
A: For most purchases valued over $10,000, a formal bid process is required (advertising, public bid opening and contract award). In these instances, a bid security equaling 10% of the bid amount is required and must accompany the bid. The bid security can be in the form of a Bid Bond, Treasurer's Check or Certified Check. For Goods and Equipment, the successful bidder will be required to submit an Insurance Certificate and a Performance Bond. For Construction projects, the successful bidder will be required to submit a Performance Bond, Labor and Materials Bond and a two (2) year Maintenance Bond.
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Q: What if I fill my swimming pool or do outside watering?
A: A special meter device must be attached to your water line to record the unsewered consumption. This meter must be registered before use with a member of our Sanitary Sewer Division. For more information, please call the Finance Department at 610-645-6144.
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Q: Where can I review a copy of the Township's Annual Financial Report or Budget?
A: Copies of the Annual Financial Report and Budget can be reviewed at any of the Township Libraries.
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Q: What is your fax number?
A: The fax number is 610-649-2529.
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Q: What is solid waste?
A: Typical household refuse and trash excluding recyclables.
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Q: Can I reduce my Solid Waste Fee container selection?
A: You may only decrease your selection at the beginning of the billing (calendar) year. All requests for a decrease must be submitted in writing and received in the Refuse Division of the Public Works Department no later than January 15th of the billing year. Any reduction selection made after January 15th will not be reflected until the next year.
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Q: How do I increase my Solid Waste Fee container selection?
A: You may increase your container selection to a higher level at any time during the year by calling Fannie McDaniel in the Refuse Division at 610-667-1952. The full annual cost differential between each level will be charged.
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