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LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO URGE LARGER MUNICIPALITIES TO CREATE
THEIR OWN POLICE FORCE
Representatives John Pallone (D-Westmoreland) and James Casorio (D-Westmoreland) held a recent press conference to discuss HB 2563 and HB 2683, which together will put strong pressures upon larger municipalities to create their own police force instead of relying exclusively on the Pennsylvania State Police. At the press conference, Rep. Pallone said that the two bills would generate more revenue and thereby provide for more state police. He said that HB 2563 is a simple piece of legislation that requires a municipality with more than 10,000 residents to obtain its own police force or pay the state $100 per resident. Rep. Pallone explained that there are currently many townships with more than 10,000 residents that rely solely upon the state police for law enforcement and the cost of this is $30 million. He said HB 2563 is an opportunity to increase law enforcement in Pennsylvania. 100% of the fees generated by state police citations would go to the Commonwealth if the citation is issued in a municipality without its own police force. Rep. Pallone estimated that it would generate about $25 million in revenue per year. |
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STATE REP. INTRODUCES BILL TO PREVENT PREMATURE SEWER FEES
State Rep. Jaret Gibbons, (D-Lawrence), recently introduced legislation, HB 2693, that would prevent municipalities and authorities from imposing sewer-related fees on property owners before their property is physically connected to the sanitary sewer system and is fully operational. |
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ANTI-BLIGHT BILL PASSES IN HOUSE
According to press reports, the state House has passed a measure that would give communities a new tool to fight blight. HB 2188, sponsored by Rep. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia), creates a process called conservatorship, whereby municipalities, lien holders, nonprofits and certain interested individuals may petition the local court to appoint a temporary property manager (conservator) who, under court supervision, will oversee rehabilitation of buildings and lots abandoned by their owners. Used successfully in other states, Taylor has been among a core group of lawmakers dedicated to adding conservatorship to Pennsylvania’s anti-blight laws. Pennsylvania has approximately 300,000 vacant or abandoned properties, including about 35,000 in Philadelphia. Instead of allowing these dangerous eyesores to become havens for illegal activity and to deteriorate to the point where they are unsalvageable, conservatorship will allow local communities to take charge of these nuisances and get them cleaned up and ready for use. A single abandoned, blighted property can cause a net decrease of $6,467 in sales price for a nearby home. On the other hand, sales prices can increase by as much as $6,715 by virtue of having no abandoned properties on a block. The bill awaits Senate consideration. |
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SENATE APPROVES TAX CREDITS FOR FIRE AND EMS VOLUNTEERS
The state Senate recently approved legislation to provide tax credits to Pennsylvania's fire and emergency medical services community. SB 1314 and SB 1316, sponsored by Senator Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), were approved as part of a package of legislation includes two initiatives to assist in retaining existing volunteers and attracting new recruits: * A $500 personal income tax credit for active fire and EMS volunteers. This will be certified by a point system established by the state fire commissioner and the EMS director, and verified by the Secretary of Revenue. Volunteers may even use their tax credits like "rollover minutes" - if they can not use all of the credits in first year, they can save them for future years. * A $1000 tax credit for employers who hire active fire and EMS volunteers. This compensates for allowing these individuals to leave the workplace and respond to emergency calls and training. The credit could be applied toward an employer’s personal income tax, corporate net income tax, or capital stock and franchise tax and can not exceed $5,000 per year. The bills now move to the House for consideration. |
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TASK FORCE BEGINS REVIEW ON PA’S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
According to press releases, Governor Ed Rendell's Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force has started to review hundreds of public comments on ways Pennsylvania can address a $20 billion funding shortfall facing the state’s drinking water and wastewater systems. The task force has formed five work groups to focus on needs assessment, innovative measures, financial resources, financial sustainability, and legislative and regulatory remedies. The work groups will review public comments as they pertain to their particular areas of concern. According to a federal Clean Water Needs Survey, Pennsylvania is facing nearly $11 billion in unmet drinking water infrastructure needs and at least $7.2 billion in unmet wastewater infrastructure needs. Governor Rendell created the 30-member task force with Executive Order 2008-02. Members include business leaders, legislators, government officials and industry experts. They are charged with developing a report by Oct. 1 that provides recommendations and financing options to support water-related services in the Governor's fiscal year 2009-10 budget proposal. |
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SENATE APPROVES BILL TO AUTHORIZE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR
TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
The state Senate Transportation Committee recently approved legislation, SB 1158, sponsored by Committee Chairman Senate Roger Madigan (R-Bradford), that would enable the Commonwealth to use alternative funding mechanisms to fund transportation projects. The bill would would allow the Commonwealth and regional transportation authorities to enter into agreements with the private sector to design, construct, manage or maintain new or expanded transportation options through Public Private Partnerships (P3s). According to press reports, the proposal is focused on creating new capacity and specifically restricts the leasing of the Pennsylvania Turnpike from consideration. If the legislation is approved by the General Assembly, Pennsylvania would join 22 other states that have already authorized the use of P3s. The partnerships authorize the use of private capital or private management expertise on transportation projects. |
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STATE LAWMAKER INTRODUCES BILLS TO BOLSTER SMALL CITIES
In a recent press release, State Senator John Wozniak (D-Cambria) announced a plan to invest $500 million over the next five-years to help small cities in Pennsylvania that have “borne the brunt of economic dislocation and weathered fiscal storms that have brewed for decades." Senator Wozniak's “Renaissance Cities” plan would invest $100 million per year over five years in the state’s Third Class and Second Class A cities. The funding part of a multi-bill package also addresses city problems such as abandoned property, blight, and absentee ownership, along with pension and debt service issues. Supporters of the plan believe that a one-year infusion of funds focused each year to help purchase public safety equipment, remove blight, jump start economic activity, repair infrastructure and stanch the flow of red ink in long-term debt costs can make a real difference for small cities.
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