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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY DeLUCA, BOYD, BURNS, D. COSTA, HARKINS, HORNAMAN, MAHONEY, MURPHY, MUSTIO, K. SMITH AND VULAKOVICH, APRIL 25, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, APRIL 25, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of June 27, 2006 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1873, |
2 | No.1), entitled "An act providing for taxation by school |
3 | districts, for the State funds formula, for tax relief in |
4 | first class cities, for school district choice and voter |
5 | participation, for other school district options and for a |
6 | task force on school cost reduction; making an appropriation; |
7 | prohibiting prior authorized taxation; providing for |
8 | installment payment of taxes; restricting the power of |
9 | certain school districts to levy, assess and collect taxes; |
10 | and making related repeals," in taxation by school districts, |
11 | further providing for adoption of preliminary budget |
12 | proposals and for public referendum requirements for |
13 | increasing certain taxes; and, in tax relief in cities of the |
14 | first class, further providing for tax relief; and providing |
15 | for fiscal threats or conditions. |
16 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
17 | hereby enacts as follows: |
18 | Section 1. Sections 311(d)(3), 333(a), (b) introductory |
19 | paragraph, (c)(3), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (n) and |
20 | 703(c)(3)(i) of the act of June 27, 2006 (1st Sp.Sess., |
21 | P.L.1873, No.1), known as the Taxpayer Relief Act, are amended |
22 | to read: |
23 | Section 311. Adoption of preliminary budget proposals. |
24 | * * * |
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1 | (d) Resolution.-- |
2 | * * * |
3 | (3) [A] If a board of school directors [that] adopts a |
4 | resolution under this section [shall not be eligible to seek |
5 | referendum exceptions under section 333(f), and], section |
6 | 333(e) shall not apply. |
7 | * * * |
8 | Section 333. Public referendum requirements for increasing |
9 | certain taxes. |
10 | [(a) Applicability.--The following provisions shall apply to |
11 | this section: |
12 | (1) For the 2006-2007 fiscal year, the tax increase |
13 | proposed by any board of school directors shall not exceed |
14 | the index unless an exception under subsection (f) or (n) is |
15 | approved pursuant to subsection (i) or (j), provided that a |
16 | board of school directors that did not elect to participate |
17 | in the former act of July 5, 2004 (P.L.654, No.72), known as |
18 | the Homeowner Tax Relief Act, shall have the authority to |
19 | petition the court of common pleas for an additional tax rate |
20 | increase if the tax rate increase allowed by the index and |
21 | any exception approved pursuant to subsection (i) or (j) is |
22 | insufficient to balance the proposed budget. No later than |
23 | July 15, 2006, the court shall grant the school district's |
24 | request for the tax rate increase upon good cause shown if |
25 | the school district proves by clear and convincing evidence |
26 | that the tax rate increase authorized under this paragraph is |
27 | insufficient to balance the proposed budget. For a board of |
28 | school directors subject to this paragraph, the dates by |
29 | which the board of school directors, the department and the |
30 | court of common pleas shall be required to comply with |
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1 | section 311 and subsections (e), (i) and (j) shall be 92 days |
2 | after the dates set forth in those provisions, except that |
3 | the date by which the board of school directors shall be |
4 | required to comply with all of the provisions of section |
5 | 311(c) shall be ten days prior to the date by which the board |
6 | of school directors is required to adopt a preliminary |
7 | budget. Any exceptions granted to a board of school directors |
8 | under section 333 of the former Homeowner Tax Relief Act |
9 | shall remain in full force and effect. Notwithstanding the |
10 | provisions of this paragraph, a board of school directors |
11 | that sought and was granted approval for one or more |
12 | exceptions under section 333 of the former Homeowner Tax |
13 | Relief Act may apply for any exception under subsections (f) |
14 | (v) and (ix) and (n), where the dollar amount of an exception |
15 | approved by the department under the former Homeowner Tax |
16 | Relief Act is less than the dollar amount of the exception |
17 | for which the school district is eligible under this act. |
18 | (2) This section shall apply to each board of school |
19 | directors beginning with any proposed tax increase that takes |
20 | effect in the 2007-2008 fiscal year and each fiscal year |
21 | thereafter.] |
22 | (b) Prohibitions.--[Except as set forth in subsection (i) |
23 | and (j), unless] Unless there is compliance with subsection (c), |
24 | a board of school directors may not do any of the following: |
25 | * * * |
26 | (c) Referendum.-- |
27 | * * * |
28 | (3) [Except as set forth in subsections (i) and (j), a] |
29 | A school district acting pursuant to this subsection shall |
30 | submit the referendum question required under this section to |
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1 | the election officials of each county in which it is situate |
2 | no later than 60 days prior to the election immediately |
3 | preceding the fiscal year in which the tax increase would |
4 | take effect. |
5 | * * * |
6 | (e) Tax rate submissions.--A school district that has |
7 | adopted a preliminary budget proposal under section 311 that |
8 | includes an increase in the rate of any tax levied for the |
9 | support of public schools shall submit information on the |
10 | increase to the department on a uniform form prepared by the |
11 | department. The school district shall submit such information no |
12 | later than 85 days prior to the date of the election immediately |
13 | preceding the beginning of the school district's fiscal year. |
14 | The department shall compare the proposed percentage increase in |
15 | the rate of any tax with the index. Within ten days of the |
16 | receipt of the information required under this subsection but no |
17 | later than 75 days prior to the date of the election immediately |
18 | preceding the beginning of the school district's fiscal year, |
19 | the department shall inform the school district whether the |
20 | proposed tax rate increase is less than or equal to the index. |
21 | If the department determines that the proposed percentage |
22 | increase in the rate of the tax exceeds the index, the |
23 | department shall notify the school district that: |
24 | (1) the proposed tax increase must be reduced to an |
25 | amount less than or equal to the index; or |
26 | (2) the proposed tax increase must be approved by the |
27 | electorate under subsection (c)(1)[; or |
28 | (3) an exception must be sought under subsections (i) |
29 | and (j)]. |
30 | [(f) Referendum exceptions.--A school district may, without |
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1 | seeking voter approval under subsection (c), increase the rate |
2 | of a tax levied for the support of the public schools by more |
3 | than the index if all of the following apply: |
4 | (1) The revenue raised by the allowable increase under |
5 | the index is insufficient to balance the proposed budget due |
6 | to one or more of the expenditures listed in paragraph (2). |
7 | (2) The revenue generated by increasing the rate of a |
8 | tax by more than the index will be used to pay for any of the |
9 | following: |
10 | (i) Costs incurred in responding to or recovering |
11 | from an emergency or disaster declared pursuant to 35 |
12 | Pa.C.S. § 7301 (relating to general authority of |
13 | Governor) or 75 Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to power of |
14 | Governor during emergency). |
15 | (ii) Costs to implement a court order or an |
16 | administrative order from a Federal or State agency as |
17 | long as the tax increase is rescinded following |
18 | fulfillment of the court order or administrative order. |
19 | (iii) Costs associated with the following: |
20 | (A) For a board of school directors that elected |
21 | to participate in the former act of July 5, 2004 |
22 | (P.L.654, No.72), known as the Homeowner Tax Relief |
23 | Act, to pay interest and principal on any |
24 | indebtedness incurred under 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII Subpt. |
25 | B (relating to indebtedness and borrowing) prior to |
26 | September 4, 2004. In no case may the school district |
27 | incur additional debt under this clause except for |
28 | the refinancing of existing debt, including the |
29 | payment of costs and expenses related to such |
30 | refinancing and the establishment of funding of |
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1 | appropriate debt service reserves. An increase under |
2 | this clause shall be rescinded following the final |
3 | payment of interest and principal. |
4 | (A.1) For a board of school directors that did |
5 | not elect to participate in the former act of July 5, |
6 | 2004 (P.L.654, No.72), known as the Homeowner Tax |
7 | Relief Act, to pay interest and principal on any |
8 | indebtedness incurred under 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII Subpt. |
9 | B prior to the effective date of this act. In no case |
10 | may the school district incur additional debt under |
11 | this clause except for the refinancing of existing |
12 | debt, including the payment of costs and expenses |
13 | related to such refinancing and the establishment of |
14 | funding of appropriate debt service reserves. An |
15 | increase under this clause shall be rescinded |
16 | following the final payment of interest and |
17 | principal. |
18 | (B) To pay interest and principal on any |
19 | electoral debt incurred under 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII |
20 | Subpt. B. An increase under this clause shall be |
21 | rescinded following the final payment of interest and |
22 | principal. |
23 | (C) To pay interest and principal on |
24 | indebtedness for up to 60% of the construction cost |
25 | average on a square-foot basis if all of the |
26 | following apply: |
27 | (I) The indebtedness is for a school |
28 | construction project under 22 Pa. Code Ch. 21 |
29 | (relating to school buildings). |
30 | (II) For a board of school directors that |
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1 | elected to participate in the former Homeowner |
2 | Tax Relief Act, the indebtedness to fund |
3 | appropriate debt service reserves for the project |
4 | is incurred after September 3, 2004. |
5 | (II.1) For a board of school directors that |
6 | did not elect to participate in the former |
7 | Homeowner Tax Relief Act, the indebtedness to |
8 | fund appropriate debt service reserves for the |
9 | project is incurred on or after the effective |
10 | date of this act. |
11 | (III) The increase sought under this clause |
12 | is rescinded following final payment of interest |
13 | and principal. |
14 | (IV) The indebtedness is incurred only after |
15 | existing fund balances for school construction |
16 | and any undesignated fund balances have been |
17 | fully committed to fund the project. |
18 | (V) The indebtedness is for an academic |
19 | elementary or academic secondary school building. |
20 | For purposes of this subclause, the following |
21 | shall not be considered to be an academic |
22 | elementary or academic secondary school building: |
23 | natatorium, stadium bleachers, athletic field, |
24 | athletic field lighting equipment and apparatus |
25 | used to promote and conduct interscholastic |
26 | athletics. |
27 | (VI) For school districts of the second, |
28 | third and fourth class, the project has been |
29 | approved by the department under section 731 of |
30 | the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known |
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1 | as the Public School Code of 1949. For |
2 | nonreimbursable projects in school districts of |
3 | the first class A, the plans and specifications |
4 | have been approved by the board of school |
5 | directors. For reimbursable projects in school |
6 | districts of the first class A, the plans and |
7 | specifications have been approved by the |
8 | department pursuant to 22 Pa. Code Ch. 21. |
9 | (D) To pay interest and principal on |
10 | indebtedness for up to $250,000 of the construction |
11 | cost of a nonacademic school construction project, as |
12 | adjusted annually by the percentage increase in the |
13 | average of the Statewide average weekly wage and the |
14 | employment cost index. An increase under this clause |
15 | shall be rescinded following the final payment of |
16 | interest and principal. |
17 | (E) For purposes of this subparagraph, electoral |
18 | debt includes the refunding or refinancing of |
19 | electoral debt for which an exception is permitted |
20 | under clause (B) as long as the refunding or |
21 | refinancing incurs no additional debt other than for: |
22 | (I) costs and expenses related to the |
23 | refunding or refinancing; and |
24 | (II) funding of appropriate debt service |
25 | reserves. |
26 | (F) For purposes of this subparagraph, |
27 | indebtedness includes the refunding or refinancing of |
28 | indebtedness for which an exception is permitted |
29 | under clauses (A), (A.1), (C) and (D) as long as the |
30 | refunding or refinancing incurs no additional debt |
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1 | other than for: |
2 | (I) costs and expenses related to the |
3 | refunding or refinancing; and |
4 | (II) funding of appropriate debt service |
5 | reserves. |
6 | (iv) Costs to respond to conditions which pose an |
7 | immediate threat of serious physical harm or injury to |
8 | the students, staff or residents of the school district |
9 | but only until the conditions causing the threat have |
10 | been fully resolved. |
11 | (v) Costs incurred in providing special education |
12 | programs and services to students with disabilities if |
13 | the increase in expenditures on special education |
14 | programs and services was greater than the index. The |
15 | dollar amount of this exception shall be equal to the |
16 | portion of the increase that exceeds the index. |
17 | (vi) Costs which: |
18 | (A) were incurred in the implementation of a |
19 | school improvement plan required under section |
20 | 1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act |
21 | of 1965 (Public Law 89-10, 20 U.S.C. § 6316(b)); and |
22 | (B) were not offset by a State allocation. |
23 | (vii) Costs necessary to maintain: |
24 | (A) per-student local tax revenue, adjusted by |
25 | the index, if the percentage growth in average daily |
26 | membership between the school year determined under |
27 | subsection (j)(4) and the third school year preceding |
28 | the school year determined under subsection (j)(4) |
29 | exceeds 7.5%; or |
30 | (B) actual instruction expense per average daily |
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1 | membership, adjusted by the index, if the increase in |
2 | actual instruction expense per average daily |
3 | membership between the school year determined under |
4 | subsection (j)(4) and the school year preceding the |
5 | school year determined under subsection (j)(4) is |
6 | less than the index. |
7 | (viii) The maintenance of revenues derived from real |
8 | property taxes, earned income and net profits taxes, |
9 | personal income taxes, basic education funding |
10 | allocations and special education funding allocations, |
11 | adjusted by the index, for a school district where the |
12 | percentage increase in revenues derived from real |
13 | property taxes, earned income and net profits taxes, |
14 | personal income taxes, basic education funding |
15 | allocations and special education funding allocations |
16 | between the school year determined under subsection (j) |
17 | (4) and the school year preceding the school year |
18 | determined under subsection (j)(4) is less than the |
19 | index. |
20 | (ix) Costs incurred for providing health care- |
21 | related benefits which are directly attributable to a |
22 | collective bargaining agreement in effect on January 1, |
23 | 2006, between the school district and its employees' |
24 | organization if the anticipated increase in the cost of |
25 | health care-related benefits between the current year and |
26 | the upcoming year is greater than the index. The dollar |
27 | amount of this exception shall be equal to the portion of |
28 | the increase which exceeds the index. This subparagraph |
29 | shall not apply to a collective bargaining agreement |
30 | renewed, extended or entered into after January 1, 2006. |
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1 | (g) Revenue derived from increase.--Any revenue derived from |
2 | an increase in the rate of any tax allowed pursuant to |
3 | subsection (f)(2)(iii) shall not exceed the anticipated dollar |
4 | amount of the expenditure. |
5 | (h) Limitation on tax rate.--The increase in the rate of any |
6 | tax allowed pursuant to an exception under subsection (f)(2)(i), |
7 | (ii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii) or (ix) or (n) shall not |
8 | exceed the rate increase required as determined by a court of |
9 | common pleas or the department pursuant to subsection (i) or |
10 | (j). |
11 | (i) Court action.-- |
12 | (1) Prior to the imposition of a tax increase under |
13 | subsection (f)(2)(i), (ii) and (iv) and no later than 75 days |
14 | prior to the election immediately preceding the beginning of |
15 | the school district's fiscal year, approval by the court of |
16 | common pleas in the judicial district in which the |
17 | administrative office of the school district is located must |
18 | be sought. The board of school directors shall publish in a |
19 | newspaper of general circulation and on the district's |
20 | publicly accessible Internet site, if one is maintained, |
21 | notice of its intent to file a petition under this subsection |
22 | at least one week prior to the filing of the petition. The |
23 | board of school directors shall also publish in a newspaper |
24 | of general circulation and on the district's publicly |
25 | accessible Internet site, if one is maintained, notice, as |
26 | soon as possible following notification from the court that a |
27 | hearing has been scheduled, stating the date, time and place |
28 | of the hearing on the petition. The following shall apply to |
29 | any proceedings instituted under this subsection: |
30 | (i) The school district must prove by clear and |
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1 | convincing evidence that it qualifies for each exception |
2 | sought. |
3 | (ii) The school district must prove by clear and |
4 | convincing evidence the anticipated dollar amount of the |
5 | expenditure for each exception sought. |
6 | (2) The court shall rule on the school district's |
7 | petition and inform the school district of its decision no |
8 | later than 55 days prior to the date of the election |
9 | immediately preceding the beginning of the school district's |
10 | fiscal year. If the court approves the petition, the court |
11 | shall also determine the dollar amount of the expenditure for |
12 | which an exception is granted, the tax rate increase required |
13 | to fund the exception and the appropriate duration of the |
14 | increase. If the court denies the petition, the school |
15 | district may submit a referendum question under subsection |
16 | (c)(1). The question must be submitted to the election |
17 | officials no later than 50 days prior to the date of the |
18 | election immediately preceding the beginning of the school |
19 | district's fiscal year. |
20 | (j) Department approval.-- |
21 | (1) A school district that seeks to increase the rate of |
22 | tax due to an expenditure under subsection (f)(2)(iii), (v), |
23 | (vi), (vii), (viii) or (ix) or (n) shall obtain the approval |
24 | of the department before imposing the tax increase. The |
25 | department shall establish procedures for administering the |
26 | provisions of this subsection, which may include an |
27 | administrative hearing on the school district's submission. |
28 | (2) A school district proceeding under the provisions of |
29 | this subsection shall publish in a newspaper of general |
30 | circulation and on the district's publicly accessible |
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1 | Internet site, if one is maintained, notice of its intent to |
2 | seek department approval at least one week prior to |
3 | submitting its request for approval to the department. If the |
4 | department schedules a hearing on the school district's |
5 | request, the school district shall publish notice of the |
6 | hearing in a newspaper of general circulation and on the |
7 | district's publicly accessible Internet site, if one is |
8 | maintained, immediately upon receiving the information from |
9 | the department. The notice shall include the date, time and |
10 | place of the hearing. |
11 | (3) The department shall approve a school district's |
12 | request under this subsection if a review of the data under |
13 | paragraph (4) demonstrates that: |
14 | (i) the school district qualifies for one or more |
15 | exceptions under subsection (f)(2)(iii), (v), (vi), |
16 | (vii), (viii) or (ix) or (n); and |
17 | (ii) the sum of the dollar amounts of the exceptions |
18 | for which the school district qualifies makes the school |
19 | district eligible under subsection (f)(1). |
20 | (4) For the purpose of determining the eligibility of a |
21 | school district for an exception under subsection (f)(2)(v), |
22 | (vi), (vii) or (viii), the department shall utilize data from |
23 | the most recent school years for which annual financial |
24 | report data required under section 2553 of the Public School |
25 | Code of 1949 has been received. The department shall inform |
26 | school districts of the school years determined under this |
27 | subsection no later than 30 days prior to the date on which |
28 | public inspection of proposed school budgets is required |
29 | under section 311(c). |
30 | (5) (i) The department shall rule on the school |
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1 | district's request and shall inform the school district of |
2 | its decision no later than 55 days prior to the date of the |
3 | election immediately preceding the beginning of the school |
4 | district's fiscal year. |
5 | (ii) If the department approves the request, the |
6 | department shall determine the dollar amount of the |
7 | expenditure for which the exception is sought and the tax |
8 | rate increase required to fund the exception. |
9 | (iii) If the department denies the request, the |
10 | school district may submit a referendum question under |
11 | subsection (c)(1). The question must be submitted to the |
12 | election officials no later than 50 days prior to the |
13 | date of the election immediately preceding the beginning |
14 | of the school district's fiscal year. |
15 | (6) Within 30 days of the deadline under paragraph (5) |
16 | (i), the department shall submit a report to the President |
17 | pro tempore of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, |
18 | the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Minority |
19 | Leader of the House of Representatives enumerating the school |
20 | districts which sought an exception under this subsection. |
21 | The department shall also publish the report on its publicly |
22 | accessible Internet site. The report shall include: |
23 | (i) The name of each school district making a |
24 | request under this subsection. |
25 | (ii) The specific exceptions requested by each |
26 | school district and the dollar amount of the expenditure |
27 | for each exception. |
28 | (iii) The department's ruling on the request for the |
29 | exception. |
30 | (iv) If the exception was approved, the dollar |
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1 | amount of the expenditure for which the exception was |
2 | sought and the tax rate increase required to fund the |
3 | exception. |
4 | (v) A statistical summary of the information in |
5 | subparagraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv). |
6 | (k) Objections.--Any person who resides within or pays real |
7 | property taxes to the school district filing a petition under |
8 | subsection (i) may file with the court written objections to any |
9 | petition filed under this section.] |
10 | * * * |
11 | [(n) Treatment of certain required payments.--The provisions |
12 | of subsections (f) and (j) shall apply to a school district's |
13 | share of payments to the Public School Employees' Retirement |
14 | System as required under 24 Pa.C.S. § 8327 (relating to payments |
15 | by employers) if the increase in the actual dollar amount of |
16 | estimated payments between the current year and the upcoming |
17 | year is greater than the index. The dollar amount to which |
18 | subsection (f) applies shall equal that portion of the increase |
19 | which exceeds the product of the index and the actual dollar |
20 | value of payments for the current year.] |
21 | Section 703. Tax relief. |
22 | * * * |
23 | (c) Exceptions.--The wage and net profits tax rates may only |
24 | be raised above the rates specified in subsection (b)(2) if all |
25 | of the following apply: |
26 | * * * |
27 | (3) The increase is necessary to respond to any of the |
28 | following: |
29 | (i) A fiscal threat or condition, as certified by |
30 | the city's director of finance, that occurs to the city |
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1 | as set forth in section [333(f)] 703.1 or an equivalent |
2 | fiscal threat that affects the citizens of the city. It |
3 | shall be the responsibility of the city's director of |
4 | finance with the approval of the Pennsylvania |
5 | Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority to ensure that |
6 | any additional tax revenue raised is equal to the amount |
7 | expended to respond to the fiscal threat or condition. If |
8 | the amount of revenue raised through rate adjustment |
9 | exceeds the amount necessary to respond, over the course |
10 | of the city's approved financial plan to the fiscal |
11 | threat, the excess amount shall be used for wage tax and |
12 | net profits tax reduction in the immediately succeeding |
13 | approved financial plan but only if the tax rate |
14 | reduction, expressed as the difference between the two |
15 | tax rates, would exceed .0002. |
16 | * * * |
17 | Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read: |
18 | Section 703.1. Fiscal threats or conditions. |
19 | The following list includes fiscal threats or conditions that |
20 | may be certified by the city's director of finance under section |
21 | 703: |
22 | (1) Costs incurred in responding to or recovering from |
23 | an emergency or disaster declared pursuant to 35 Pa.C.S. § |
24 | 7301 (relating to general authority of Governor) or 75 |
25 | Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to power of Governor during |
26 | emergency). |
27 | (2) Costs to implement a court order or an |
28 | administrative order from a Federal or State agency as long |
29 | as the tax increase is rescinded following fulfillment of the |
30 | court order or administrative order. |
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1 | (3) Costs associated with the following: |
2 | (i) To pay interest and principal on any |
3 | indebtedness incurred under 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII Subpt. B |
4 | (relating to indebtedness and borrowing) prior to |
5 | September 4, 2004. In no case may the school district |
6 | incur additional debt under this paragraph except for the |
7 | refinancing of existing debt, including the payment of |
8 | costs and expenses related to such refinancing and the |
9 | establishment of funding of appropriate debt service |
10 | reserves. An increase under this paragraph shall be |
11 | rescinded following the final payment of interest and |
12 | principal. |
13 | (ii) To pay interest and principal on any electoral |
14 | debt incurred under 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII Subpt. B. An |
15 | increase under this subparagraph shall be rescinded |
16 | following the final payment of interest and principal. |
17 | (iii) To pay interest and principal on indebtedness |
18 | for up to 60% of the construction cost average on a |
19 | square-foot basis if all of the following apply: |
20 | (A) The indebtedness is for a school |
21 | construction project under 22 Pa. Code Ch. 21 |
22 | (relating to school buildings). |
23 | (B) The indebtedness to fund appropriate debt |
24 | service reserves for the project is incurred after |
25 | September 3, 2004. |
26 | (C) The increase sought under this subparagraph |
27 | is rescinded following final payment of interest and |
28 | principal. |
29 | (D) The indebtedness is incurred only after |
30 | existing fund balances for school construction and |
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1 | any undesignated fund balances have been fully |
2 | committed to fund the project. |
3 | (E) The indebtedness is for an academic |
4 | elementary or academic secondary school building. For |
5 | purposes of this subparagraph, the following shall |
6 | not be considered to be an academic elementary or |
7 | academic secondary school building: natatorium, |
8 | stadium bleachers, athletic field, athletic field |
9 | lighting equipment and apparatus used to promote and |
10 | conduct interscholastic athletics. |
11 | (iv) To pay interest and principal on indebtedness |
12 | for up to $250,000 of the construction cost of a |
13 | nonacademic school construction project, as adjusted |
14 | annually by the percentage increase in the average of the |
15 | Statewide average weekly wage and the employment cost |
16 | index. An increase under this paragraph shall be |
17 | rescinded following the final payment of interest and |
18 | principal. |
19 | (v) For purposes of this paragraph, electoral debt |
20 | includes the refunding or refinancing of electoral debt |
21 | for which an exception is permitted under paragraph (2) |
22 | as long as the refunding or refinancing incurs no |
23 | additional debt other than for: |
24 | (A) costs and expenses related to the refunding |
25 | or refinancing; and |
26 | (B) funding of appropriate debt service |
27 | reserves. |
28 | (vi) For purposes of this subparagraph, indebtedness |
29 | includes the refunding or refinancing of indebtedness for |
30 | which an exception is permitted under paragraphs (1), (3) |
|
1 | and (4) as long as the refunding or refinancing incurs no |
2 | additional debt other than for: |
3 | (A) costs and expenses related to the refunding |
4 | or refinancing; and |
5 | (B) funding of appropriate debt service |
6 | reserves. |
7 | (4) Costs to respond to conditions which pose an |
8 | immediate threat of serious physical harm or injury to the |
9 | students, staff or residents of the school district but only |
10 | until the conditions causing the threat have been fully |
11 | resolved. |
12 | (5) Costs incurred in providing special education |
13 | programs and services to students with disabilities if the |
14 | increase in expenditures on special education programs and |
15 | services was greater than the index. The dollar amount of |
16 | this exception shall be equal to the portion of the increase |
17 | that exceeds the index. |
18 | (6) Costs which: |
19 | (i) were incurred in the implementation of a school |
20 | improvement plan required under section 1116(b) of the |
21 | Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public |
22 | Law 89-10, 20 U.S.C. § 6316(b)); and |
23 | (ii) were not offset by a State allocation. |
24 | (7) Costs necessary to maintain: |
25 | (i) per-student local tax revenue, adjusted by the |
26 | index, if the percentage growth in average daily |
27 | membership between the last school year for which annual |
28 | financial data has been reported under section 2553 of |
29 | the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the |
30 | Public School Code of 1949, and the third school year |
|
1 | preceding that school year exceeds 7.5%; or |
2 | (ii) actual instruction expense per average daily |
3 | membership, adjusted by the index, if the increase in |
4 | actual instruction expense per average daily membership |
5 | between the last school year for which annual financial |
6 | data has been reported under section 2553 of the Public |
7 | School Code of 1949 and the school year preceding that |
8 | school year is less than the index. |
9 | (8) The maintenance of revenues derived from real |
10 | property taxes, earned income and net profits taxes, personal |
11 | income taxes, basic education funding allocations and special |
12 | education funding allocations, adjusted by the index, where |
13 | the percentage increase in revenues derived from real |
14 | property taxes, earned income and net profits taxes, personal |
15 | income taxes, basic education funding allocations and special |
16 | education funding allocations between the last school year |
17 | for which annual financial data has been reported under |
18 | section 2553 of the Public School Code of 1949 and the school |
19 | year preceding that school year is less than the index. |
20 | (9) Costs incurred for providing health care-related |
21 | benefits which are directly attributable to a collective |
22 | bargaining agreement in effect on January 1, 2006, between |
23 | the school district and its employees' organization if the |
24 | anticipated increase in the cost of health care-related |
25 | benefits between the current year and the upcoming year is |
26 | greater than the index. The dollar amount of this exception |
27 | shall be equal to the portion of the increase which exceeds |
28 | the index. This paragraph shall not apply to a collective |
29 | bargaining agreement renewed, extended or entered into after |
30 | January 1, 2006. |
|
1 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011, or in 60 |
2 | days, whichever is later. |
|