PRINTER'S NO.  725

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

No.

40

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, COSTA, FONTANA, ERICKSON, SOLOBAY, WASHINGTON, M. WHITE AND BREWSTER, MARCH 1, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS, MARCH 1, 2011  

  

  

  

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

  

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Establishing a commission to study the Commonwealth's fragmented

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system of local governance and identify methods to promote

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more regional collaboration in the delivery of municipal

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services and the execution of local government.

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RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the

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General Assembly, in response to the recommendations of the 2007

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Brookings Institution Report, Committing to Prosperity: Moving

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Forward on the Agenda to Renew Pennsylvania, and the

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recommendations of the 2007 Pennsylvania Economy League Report,

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Structuring Healthy Communities, direct the Majority Leader of

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the Senate and the Majority Leader of the House of

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Representatives to appoint a commission to study the

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Commonwealth's system of local governance and identify methods

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to promote more regional collaboration in the delivery of

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municipal services and the execution of local government; and be

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it further

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RESOLVED, That the membership of the commission be:

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(1)  The Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs and

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Development, Pennsylvania Department of Community and

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Economic Development, who shall serve as chairperson.

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(2)  The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

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Local Government Committee of the Senate or their designees.

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(3)  The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

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Local Government Committee of the House of Representatives or

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their designees.

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(4)  One member of the Senate appointed by the Majority

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Leader of the Senate.

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(5)  One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority

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Leader of the Senate.

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(6)  One member of the House of Representatives appointed

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by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

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(7)  One member of the House of Representatives appointed

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by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

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(8)  Members appointed as follows:

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(i)  A representative of the Pennsylvania Economy

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League, appointed from a list submitted by the league to

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the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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(ii)  A representative of the Council of State

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Governments, appointed from a list submitted by the

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council to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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(iii)  A representative of the County Commissioners

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Association of Pennsylvania, appointed from a list

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submitted by the association to the Speaker of the House

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of Representatives.

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(iv)  Two representatives of 10,000 Friends of

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Pennsylvania, one representing the organization is at

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large and one representing the organization's subsidiary

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campaign to Renew Pennsylvania, both appointed from a

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list submitted by the organization to the Speaker of the

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House of Representatives.

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(v)  A representative of the Pennsylvania State

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Association of Township Supervisors, appointed from a

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list submitted by the association to the President pro

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tempore of the Senate.

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(vi)  A representative of the Pennsylvania State

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Association of Boroughs, appointed from a list submitted

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by the association to the President pro tempore of the

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Senate.

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(vii)  A representative of the Pennsylvania League of

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Cities and Municipalities, appointed from a list

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submitted by the league to the President pro tempore of

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the Senate.

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(viii)  A representative of the Pennsylvania

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Municipal Authorities Association, appointed from a list

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submitted by the association to the President pro tempore

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of the Senate.

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(ix)  The Executive Director of the State Planning

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Board, or his designee.

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(x)  The Executive Director of the Local Government

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Commission or his designee;

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and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the commission be staffed by the Local

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Government Commission; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the commission be charged with the following:

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(1)  Conduct a study of the current system of local

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governance in Pennsylvania.

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(2)  Conduct a study of the current State financial and

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technical assistance programs available to municipalities.

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(3)  Provide recommended measures that would ensure or

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improve the fiscal stability of municipalities.

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(4)  Provide recommended changes that would make regional

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cooperation more attractive to municipalities.

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(5)  Provide recommended changes that would remove or

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reduce barriers to regional cooperation;

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and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the commission report to the General Assembly

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the results of its study and its recommendations and file the

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report with the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of

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the House of Representatives within six months of the adoption

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of this concurrent resolution.

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