Valencia strikes deal with St. Barnabas for EMS contribution
VALENCIA — The borough has taken a major step toward covering a potential budget shortfall for emergency services.
According to borough Councilwoman Shanon McKenna, St. Barnabas Health System has agreed to make quarterly contributions of $7,500 to Valencia throughout 2026 to support fire, police and ambulance services in the borough.
“St. Barnabas has agreed to provide us contributions on a quarterly basis and the first one will be for the first quarter of 2026,” McKenna said.
The borough can then use the funds for police, fire or EMS services.
“We can use it for any of those services,” McKenna said.
Last year, the rising costs of emergency services were a large part of the reason for Valencia implementing its first tax increase in more than three decades, from 7.5 mills to 10 mills, for the 2025 fiscal year.
To make up for the costs of emergency services — particularly police coverage — the borough has held discussions for at least a year with St. Barnabas about potentially making financial contributions to the borough.
St. Barnabas owns a combined 126.031 acres in the roughly 218-acre borough through its two senior living facilities — The Arbors and The Woodlands. Because St. Barnabas is a nonprofit health care entity, Valencia cannot collect taxes on any of that land. Many Valencia residents are retired seniors who live at the two facilities, meaning the tax base for the borough is also limited.
Valencia receives police coverage from the Adams Township Police Department, fire services from the Adams Area Fire District and emergency medical service from Quality EMS.
During the monthly supervisors meeting on Monday, Dec. 22, the borough approved its final budget for the 2026 fiscal year. Unlike the 2025 budget, there will be no tax increase. The municipal property tax rate will remain at 10 mills.
