Since March of this year, after the implementation of the 30% tariff on newsprint, the cost of publishing the Town and Country and other newspapers increased by, well, 30%.

            That resulted in a projected into a very hefty five-figure increase in the cost to produce our local newspaper over a year.

            A couple of weeks ago, after review, Congress lowered the tariff to 24%. 

            After raising the cost in March, passing it on down the line, newsprint paper manufacturers have little incentive to roll-back the price.  The damage was done.

            Large, newspapers can absorb the cost but the trickle-down effect on small, local newspapers isn't quite as easy to swallow.  Many local newspapers will close – especially those that are privately owned.

            If that wasn't enough, two weeks ago the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department made a decision to change the manner in which they advertise sheriff sale properties.

            Effective immediately, a Philadelphia newspaper will be publishing our area sales on a rotating monthly schedule with the Town and Country.

            So if the paper seems a little thinner, that's because area Sheriff Sales won't be advertised by us in September – you'll have to check the Philly papers instead.

            This constitutes another hefty five-figure loss for us as well as the inconvenience of local readers.

            If we were a publically-owned entity, shareholders might be calling for a sell-off – cut the losses and get out.

            At the Town and Country, we've decided to sharpen our pencils and work harder to find a solution to problems we didn't create.  That's the way we were brought up; to tighten our belts while we search for answers to continue work that we feel is important to the community and the people who live in it.

            We've held meetings with our vendors and brainstormed with our employees and we continue to do so.

            Changes may be called for and we will keep our readers apprised of what may be coming.

            But, rest assured that the staff of the Town and Country will continue to work by our Mission Statement that is:

 

Our mission is to present the news of the Upper Perkiomen Valley and nearby regions in a good, interesting style, unprejudiced and free from appeals to personal vanity or prejudice.

We will strive to know what to print, and what should be left for the tongues of the gossips.

We will adhere to the law as set forth by our forefathers in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

We will be a champion for public issues – if we determine that it's for the public good.

We will give all of the political news but it will not be an organ for Democrats, Republicans, or any other political party.

We will endeavor to provide our advertisers the opportunity to present their goods and services to a wide and varied audience of readers.

We will put forth an earnest effort to produce a newspaper that can be the pride of the community.

We will do our best to ensure that this newspaper survives.