Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

We shortly will introduce legislation accelerating the expansion of the new City Revitalization Improvement Zones (CRIZ) program to additional cities and boroughs and townships. This proposal also will allow a class 2A city to apply.
The law enacted last year provides for just two third-class cities to be authorized a CRIZ until 2016, with two more authorized annually beginning in 2016. A single pilot zone is authorized in a borough or township with a population of at least 7,000 in a home-rule county.
Our proposal, similar to SB 1033 previously introduced by Senator Schwank, would authorize a CRIZ in a total of 15 cities before 2016, including both class 2A (Scranton) and third-class cities. Four zones would be authorized in each of three population categories: cities of 60,000 or more; cities between 20,000 and 60,000; and cities up to 20,000. Three additional cities would be authorized a CRIZ without restriction by population. The number of pilot zones would be expanded under our proposal to five, without restriction by the form of county government.

No municipality would be allowed more than one CRIZ, Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ) or pilot zone, and a priority would be given to cities that have been declared "Distressed" or have had a receiver appointed under Act 47.
We believe this proposal offers the opportunity the Commonwealth and its cities and larger communities need. We hope you will consider co-sponsoring this important proposal for Pennsylvania municipalities.