Defending America PAC Hits Harvie With Tax Ad Ahead of PA-01 Race

Defending America PAC has launched a new television ad accusing Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie of raising property taxes twice while quietly voting himself a pay bump, as he challenges Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick for Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District.

The 30-second spot, titled "Done," pairs footage of Harvie snapping at a colleague with audio of him joking about "the pay raise I gave myself." The PAC's site lists the ad among its independent expenditures against House Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Harvie cast the deciding vote on two Bucks County budgets that raised property taxes, first by 7.9 percent in December 2023 and again by 8 percent in December 2025, with the millage rate up from 27.45 to 29.65. Both budgets passed 2-1, with Republican Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo casting the lone no vote each time.

The 2025 increase closed a roughly $16 million operating deficit and adds about $71 a year to the average homeowner's bill. Harvie had pushed for a larger hike than county finance staff originally proposed.

Harvie also voted in December 2022 to raise commissioners' salaries 1 percent annually through 2027. His 2026 personal financial disclosure shows he collected more than $100,000 in county salary last year.

The ad marks an early outside push to define Harvie, a first-time congressional candidate, before the general election takes shape. Fitzpatrick, a five-term incumbent, has not released a response ad. Neither Harvie's campaign nor Defending America PAC has commented publicly on the spot's rollout.