Councilman Matt Herndon
@mattherndon.org
Father, bike rider, and State College Borough Council Member focused on safer streets, housing affordability, sustainability, and including all who want to live here.
Views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the full council.
Views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the full council.
Our inflation adjusted spending is relatively flat even with new buildings. The main issue is that inflation has grown faster than we’ve added assed value and thus we’ve had to increase our tax rate to keep up. The ARPA funds helped us limit these increases for a few years, but that time is over.
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Our inflation adjusted spending is relatively flat even with new buildings. The main issue is that inflation has grown faster than we’ve added assed value and thus we’ve had to increase our tax rate to keep up. The ARPA funds helped us limit these increases for a few years, but that time is over.
For example the top 4 property tax payers in the borough in 2024 were all student high-rises, in 2026 the 2 new oLiv buildings will make it top 6. Their tax payments do not get reduced by the homestead tax exemption like those of homeowners and thus provide a significant portion or our tax revenue.
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
For example the top 4 property tax payers in the borough in 2024 were all student high-rises, in 2026 the 2 new oLiv buildings will make it top 6. Their tax payments do not get reduced by the homestead tax exemption like those of homeowners and thus provide a significant portion or our tax revenue.
The challenge is that inflation affects government costs similarly to how it affects everyone else. Municipalities buy less food and more asphalt than regular consumers, and so inflation for our true costs is better tracked by the Municipal Cost Index (MCI).
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
The challenge is that inflation affects government costs similarly to how it affects everyone else. Municipalities buy less food and more asphalt than regular consumers, and so inflation for our true costs is better tracked by the Municipal Cost Index (MCI).
She also mentions how hard it is to understand the SCASD budget, and implies that things are being hidden. Simply googling SCASD Playground took me to the Playground Master Plan. There's a lot of into on that page because it's comprehensive. The first link estimates each playground cost at ~$300k.
November 4, 2025 at 12:07 PM
She also mentions how hard it is to understand the SCASD budget, and implies that things are being hidden. Simply googling SCASD Playground took me to the Playground Master Plan. There's a lot of into on that page because it's comprehensive. The first link estimates each playground cost at ~$300k.
Today's election day. I wish there were more offices up for a vote, but the ones that are really matter. Retaining judges is key to ensuring our votes are actually counted in future elections. We also need good members on school board, their opponents literally spoke against playgrounds and solar!
November 4, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Today's election day. I wish there were more offices up for a vote, but the ones that are really matter. Retaining judges is key to ensuring our votes are actually counted in future elections. We also need good members on school board, their opponents literally spoke against playgrounds and solar!
As an elected member of the State College Borough Council I have sworn to support the Constitution of the United States. Today I was happy to join my fellow citizens at our local No Kings protest to call on our Federal government to honor their oaths as well and uphold our Constitution. #NoKings
October 18, 2025 at 7:39 PM
As an elected member of the State College Borough Council I have sworn to support the Constitution of the United States. Today I was happy to join my fellow citizens at our local No Kings protest to call on our Federal government to honor their oaths as well and uphold our Constitution. #NoKings
Here's the intersection with Westerly right now. Atherton is already going from 4 lanes down to 1 as it crosses. I frequently see people speeding in the left lane surprised that it becomes left turn only the dangerously merging back right at a high rate of speed. Just 3 lanes would be far safer.
October 15, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Here's the intersection with Westerly right now. Atherton is already going from 4 lanes down to 1 as it crosses. I frequently see people speeding in the left lane surprised that it becomes left turn only the dangerously merging back right at a high rate of speed. Just 3 lanes would be far safer.
Last week Council met 3 times to discuss our new #zoning. With our 9/15 and 9/24 meetings that adds to over 14 hours discussing this. New zoning has many changes that can improve our town and I'm working on a summary of them, but if you'd like to chat about it in person my office hours are tomorrow.
October 14, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Last week Council met 3 times to discuss our new #zoning. With our 9/15 and 9/24 meetings that adds to over 14 hours discussing this. New zoning has many changes that can improve our town and I'm working on a summary of them, but if you'd like to chat about it in person my office hours are tomorrow.
Very helpful! I've been watching your other videos this morning and was proud to see State College featured in "How Cars Took Over American Streets" One of my zoning update goals is to make The Corner Room's covered sidewalk (shown here) legal again in State College to make walking even nicer here.
September 26, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Very helpful! I've been watching your other videos this morning and was proud to see State College featured in "How Cars Took Over American Streets" One of my zoning update goals is to make The Corner Room's covered sidewalk (shown here) legal again in State College to make walking even nicer here.
If you want a more affordable, sustainable and inclusive State College please come to one of Council's meetings over the next few weeks to comment and have your voice heard. We are in the home stretch of this nearly 8 year process and continued public support is crucial to getting it done right.
September 8, 2025 at 4:18 PM
If you want a more affordable, sustainable and inclusive State College please come to one of Council's meetings over the next few weeks to comment and have your voice heard. We are in the home stretch of this nearly 8 year process and continued public support is crucial to getting it done right.
Tonight's council agenda includes discussing the Pugh Street garage replacement. Some are still pushing to tear this garage down ASAP and build a replacement. Back in June Council was informed that with proper maintenance this garage can last 10 more years with a far lower $/year than a new build.
August 11, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Tonight's council agenda includes discussing the Pugh Street garage replacement. Some are still pushing to tear this garage down ASAP and build a replacement. Back in June Council was informed that with proper maintenance this garage can last 10 more years with a far lower $/year than a new build.
Great to see that Whitehall Regional Park is finally open. It sure took a while, but the results are very impressive!
July 25, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Great to see that Whitehall Regional Park is finally open. It sure took a while, but the results are very impressive!
We should not wait till we're replacing a major borough owned building to add solar though. At 1:05:20 Councilman Hayes made the good suggestion for adding solar canopies over the flat borough owned parking lot on Sparks Street. Given rising energy prices and our warming planet this is crucial.
July 23, 2025 at 9:26 PM
We should not wait till we're replacing a major borough owned building to add solar though. At 1:05:20 Councilman Hayes made the good suggestion for adding solar canopies over the flat borough owned parking lot on Sparks Street. Given rising energy prices and our warming planet this is crucial.
The final slide shows where that developed land comes from with agricultural land dropping steadily since 1980. To protect our farms we should be allow more housing in areas that are already developed. The borough has a once in a lifetime opportunity to do this with our zoning rewrite, I hope we do.
June 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
The final slide shows where that developed land comes from with agricultural land dropping steadily since 1980. To protect our farms we should be allow more housing in areas that are already developed. The borough has a once in a lifetime opportunity to do this with our zoning rewrite, I hope we do.
The next slide shows how residential development has been outpacing non-residential development here for decades. In 1980 more land here was developed for non-residential than residential. Residential development has been taking land faster since then though and now we use more land for residential.
June 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
The next slide shows how residential development has been outpacing non-residential development here for decades. In 1980 more land here was developed for non-residential than residential. Residential development has been taking land faster since then though and now we use more land for residential.
For land use I shared 3 slides that had been prepared by COG staff and presented to LUCI (the land use and community infrastructure committee I sit on at COG). The first of these showed how the developed land in Centre County has nearly doubled since 1980, while population hasn't even gone up 50%.
June 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
For land use I shared 3 slides that had been prepared by COG staff and presented to LUCI (the land use and community infrastructure committee I sit on at COG). The first of these showed how the developed land in Centre County has nearly doubled since 1980, while population hasn't even gone up 50%.
Digging into the details of the draft it proposes that we require a Courtyard Cottage lot be at least 0.35 acres (15,246 sqft) in residential zones R3 and up. The houses on it must be between 750 and 2,200 sqft (Screenshots are of pages D-5, D-17, 18, and 19).
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June 13, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Digging into the details of the draft it proposes that we require a Courtyard Cottage lot be at least 0.35 acres (15,246 sqft) in residential zones R3 and up. The houses on it must be between 750 and 2,200 sqft (Screenshots are of pages D-5, D-17, 18, and 19).
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The first highlight from the new zoning I wanted to post was the new Cottage Courtyard use. This would allow 4 or more single family homes to be built around a shared communal space on a single lot. This seems like a great way to add housing, especially near our many wonderful, but underused, parks.
June 13, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The first highlight from the new zoning I wanted to post was the new Cottage Courtyard use. This would allow 4 or more single family homes to be built around a shared communal space on a single lot. This seems like a great way to add housing, especially near our many wonderful, but underused, parks.
This year's CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) was also transmitted to us at last night's meeting. I requested a report of just CIP changes from year to year, but that wasn't immediately available. I have started going through the CIP to compile this myself. Here's how the parking garage has changed.
June 3, 2025 at 6:14 PM
This year's CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) was also transmitted to us at last night's meeting. I requested a report of just CIP changes from year to year, but that wasn't immediately available. I have started going through the CIP to compile this myself. Here's how the parking garage has changed.
Today's a good day to vote.
May 20, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Today's a good day to vote.
I've already got ideas to speed up the new zoning timeline and avoid losing 3 more months. I'll be communicating these to staff and pushing them to focus on completing the zoning rewrite so we can take this important step towards a more sustainable, affordable, bikeable and inclusive State College.
May 7, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I've already got ideas to speed up the new zoning timeline and avoid losing 3 more months. I'll be communicating these to staff and pushing them to focus on completing the zoning rewrite so we can take this important step towards a more sustainable, affordable, bikeable and inclusive State College.
It was amazing to see hundreds of people come together today in State College to protest the destruction of our Constitution, our jobs, our savings, and our futures. It's going to take so much work to fix the damage Trump/ Musk have done in just a few short months, but we've got to give it our all.
April 6, 2025 at 12:44 AM
It was amazing to see hundreds of people come together today in State College to protest the destruction of our Constitution, our jobs, our savings, and our futures. It's going to take so much work to fix the damage Trump/ Musk have done in just a few short months, but we've got to give it our all.
It's important to note that the the consensus memo that was sent only requested that we lower land requirements to 6,000 sqft for a single family home and 10,000 for a duplex so it will not deliver the affordability I discussed above. This can be changed by council though and I will work hard do so.
April 3, 2025 at 11:16 AM
It's important to note that the the consensus memo that was sent only requested that we lower land requirements to 6,000 sqft for a single family home and 10,000 for a duplex so it will not deliver the affordability I discussed above. This can be changed by council though and I will work hard do so.
To really push affordability we shouldn't just allow a single home to be built on this land, but 2, 3, or 4 in a single building. A quadplex has 4 units in 1 building. If we could build it on $50k of land that's just $12.5k of land cost per unit. It also has fewer exterior walls lowering HVAC costs!
April 3, 2025 at 11:16 AM
To really push affordability we shouldn't just allow a single home to be built on this land, but 2, 3, or 4 in a single building. A quadplex has 4 units in 1 building. If we could build it on $50k of land that's just $12.5k of land cost per unit. It also has fewer exterior walls lowering HVAC costs!
Many years ago I lived in a home in Ithaca NY that my wife and I bought for just $168,000. A big reason it was so affordable was because it was built on just 1,742 sqft of land. Such small yard isn't for everyone, but we loved the low maintenance, and I know others do too. It shouldn't be illegal.
April 3, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Many years ago I lived in a home in Ithaca NY that my wife and I bought for just $168,000. A big reason it was so affordable was because it was built on just 1,742 sqft of land. Such small yard isn't for everyone, but we loved the low maintenance, and I know others do too. It shouldn't be illegal.