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An Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending and supplementing the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Division 4, entitled "Finances," through the creation of a new Chapter 491, entitled "Community College of Allegheny County Appropriations," in order to provide a mechanism for adjusting the County's annual budgetary appropriation to the Community College of Allegheny County in order to keep pace with rising inflationary costs.
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WHEREAS, since its opening in September 1966, the mission of the Community College of Allegheny County has been to provide affordable access to quality education, and offer a dynamic, diverse and supportive learning environment that prepares the region's residents for academic, professional, and personal success in our changing global society; and
WHEREAS, the College lists one of its enduring goals as "...maintain[ing] affordability and promot[ing] student learning by effective use and allocation of human, physical, technological and fiscal resources"; and
WHEREAS, increasing costs and an environment in which funding has become more difficult to secure has rendered it increasingly difficult for the College to keep its tuitions as low as possible in order to allow access to its services by as many individuals as possible; and
WHEREAS, while the County provides funding for the operation of the College through a general appropriation each year, the amount of this general appropriation has increased from $21.3 million in 2004 to $21.4 million in 2008, an increase of only 0.47% over five budget years; and
WHEREAS, the Council deems it advisable to create a regular, predictable means of adjusting the County's annual budgetary appropriation to the Community College of Allegheny County in order to keep pace with rising inflationary costs and reduce the need to pass these increasing costs on to the students of the College;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby enacts as follows:
SECTION 1. Amendment of the Code
The Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Division 4, entitled "Finances," is hereby amended and supplemented through the creation of a new Chapter 491, entitled "Community College of Allegheny County Appropriations," and consisting of the following provisions:
Chapter 491
Community College of Allegheny County Appropriations
§491-01. Community College of Allegheny County Budgetary Appropriation.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2009 and in each fiscal year thereafter, Allegheny County Council shall make an annual appropriation to the Community College of Allegheny County that shall exceed the prior year's appropriation by the greater of:
a. A percentage equal to the percentage increase from the prior year of the Consumer Price Index as calculated for the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City area for all items; or
b. Three percent.
SECTION 2. Severability
If any provision of this Ordinance shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Ordinance which shall be in full force and effect.