PRINTER'S NO. 852
No. 84 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY PETRONE, HENNESSEY, TIGUE, McCALL, LLOYD, STURLA,
BOSCOLA, SCRIMENTI, MELIO, ROONEY, WOGAN, STETLER, DEMPSEY,
READSHAW, MUNDY, ROBERTS, KENNEY, JAMES, M. N. WRIGHT,
J. TAYLOR, EGOLF, ROBINSON, LYNCH, PISTELLA, WALKO, PRESTON
AND BELFANTI, MARCH 12, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 12, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Urban Affairs Committee to inquire into the
2 practices of municipal authorities.
3 WHEREAS, The Municipality Authorities Act of 1945 permits any
4 county, city, borough, incorporated town, township or school
5 district of the Commonwealth, acting singly or jointly with one
6 or more other local governments, to organize an authority; and
7 WHEREAS, Today there exists over 2,000 active municipal
8 authorities in Pennsylvania; and
9 WHEREAS, Municipal authorities in Pennsylvania were devised
10 as a vehicle for accomplishing public purposes not possible or
11 practical through direct action of counties, municipalities and
12 school districts, as well as to insulate public services from
13 political abuses; and
14 WHEREAS, In recent years there have been perceived problems
15 with actual or alleged abuses by municipal authorities in this
16 Commonwealth; and
1 WHEREAS, There have also been concerns raised as to the
2 accountability of a municipal authority, its board members and
3 its employees to the municipality that created the authority and
4 the general public which ultimately pays for the authority's
5 expenditures; therefore be it
6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Urban
7 Affairs Committee to conduct an inquiry into the practices of
8 municipal authorities in Pennsylvania as well as to conduct a
9 thorough review of the Municipality Authorities Act and to
10 propose any changes to that act it deems appropriate; and be it
11 further
12 RESOLVED, That the committee may hold hearings, take
13 testimony and make its investigations at such places as it deems
14 necessary in this Commonwealth. It may issue subpoenas under the
15 hand and seal of its chairman commanding any person to appear
16 before the committee and to answer questions touching matters
17 properly being inquired into by the committee and to produce
18 such books, papers, records and documents as the committee deems
19 necessary. The subpoenas may be served upon any person and shall
20 have the same effect as subpoenas issued out of the courts of
21 this Commonwealth. Any person who willfully neglects or refuses
22 to testify before the committee or to produce any books, papers,
23 records or documents shall be subject to the penalties provided
24 by the laws of this Commonwealth in such case. Each member of
25 the committee shall have power to administer oaths and
26 affirmations to witnesses appearing before the committee; and be
27 it further
28 RESOLVED, That the committee make a report of its findings
29 and recommendations to the full House of Representatives no
30 later than September 30, 1998.
A22L82JRW/19970H0084R0852 - 2 -