SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 278, 1988, 4671 PRINTER'S NO. 4736
No. 249 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY SOLOBAY, BALDWIN, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BUNT,
CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DERMODY,
DeWEESE, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HUTCHINSON,
KOTIK, LAUGHLIN, PRESTON, SHANER, STABACK, TANGRETTI, THOMAS,
TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO, WALKO, WANSACZ, WASHINGTON, WOJNAROSKI,
YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, BARRAR, SCRIMENTI, MELIO, COSTA,
HORSEY, LEVDANSKY, GERGELY, PALLONE, PAYNE AND WILT,
FEBRUARY 11, 2003
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, NOVEMBER 16, 2004
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 24, 1931 (P.L.1206, No.331), entitled
2 "An act concerning townships of the first class; amending,
3 revising, consolidating, and changing the law relating
4 thereto," further providing for tax levies.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Clauses two and seven of section 1709(a) <--
8 SUBSECTION (A) AND SUBSECTION (C) OF SECTION 1709 of the act of <--
9 June 24, 1931 (P.L.1206, No.331), known as The First Class
10 Township Code, reenacted and amended May 27, 1949 (P.L.1955,
11 No.569) and amended December 17, 1990 (P.L.744, No.186), are
12 amended to read:
13 Section 1709. Tax Levies.--(a) The board of township
14 commissioners may levy taxes upon all property and upon all
15 occupations within the township made taxable for township
1 purposes, as ascertained by the valuation for county purposes
2 made by the assessors of the several counties of this
3 Commonwealth for the year for which the township taxes are
4 levied, for the purposes and at the rate hereinafter specified:
5 Provided, however, That such valuation shall be subject to
6 correction by the county commissioners of the several counties,
7 and to appeal by the taxable persons in accordance with existing
8 laws.
9 * * *
10 Two. (i) An annual tax not exceeding three mills for the
11 purpose of:
12 (A) building and maintaining suitable places for the housing
13 of fire apparatus [and for the purpose of];
14 (B) purchasing, maintaining and operating fire apparatus
15 [and for the purposes of];
16 (C) making of appropriations to fire companies within or
17 without the township [and of];
18 (D) contracting with adjacent municipalities or volunteer
19 fire companies therein for fire protection[.];
20 (E) the training of fire personnel and payments to fire
21 training schools and centers;
22 (F) the purchase of land upon which to erect a fire house;
23 and
24 (G) the erection and maintenance of a fire house or fire
25 training school and center.
26 (ii) The township may appropriate up to one-half, but not to
27 exceed one mill, of the revenue generated from a tax under this
28 clause for the purpose of paying salaries, benefits or other
29 compensation of fire suppression employes of the township or a
30 fire company serving the township.
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1 (iii) If an annual tax for the purposes specified in this
2 clause is proposed to be set at a level higher than three mills
3 the question shall be submitted to the voters of the township,
4 and the county board of elections shall frame the question in
5 accordance with the election laws of the Commonwealth for
6 submission to the voters of the township.
7 * * *
8 Seven. (i) An annual tax [not exceeding one-half mill] for <--
9 the purpose of supporting ambulance [and], rescue [squads] and
10 other emergency services serving the township, except as
11 provided in subsection (c).
12 (ii) The township may appropriate up to one-half of the
13 revenue generated from a tax under this clause for the purpose
14 of paying salaries, benefits or other compensation of employes
15 of an ambulance, rescue or other emergency service serving the
16 township.
17 * * *
18 (C) THE TAX FOR SUPPORTING AMBULANCE AND RESCUE SQUADS <--
19 SERVING THE TOWNSHIP SHALL NOT EXCEED THE RATE SPECIFIED IN
20 CLAUSE SEVEN OF SUBSECTION (A) EXCEPT WHEN THE QUESTION IS
21 SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS OF THE TOWNSHIP IN THE FORM OF A
22 REFERENDUM WHICH WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
23 THE ELECTION LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH, IN WHICH CASE THE RATE
24 SHALL NOT EXCEED [TWO] THREE MILLS. THE COUNTY BOARD OF
25 ELECTIONS SHALL FRAME THE QUESTION TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS
26 OF THE TOWNSHIP IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ELECTION LAWS OF THE
27 COMMONWEALTH.
28 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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