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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, consistent with the provisions of §5-809.04 of the Administrative Code of Allegheny County, individuals who pay their County real property taxes before March 31 are granted a discount of a portion of the whole amount of the tax amount due and owing; and
WHEREAS, the Council deems it advisable to create a means by which the taxpayers of Allegheny County can, if they choose, make a voluntary contribution to the College of all or a portion of the discounted tax amount;
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
§491-03. Community College of Allegheny County Voluntary Contributions of Property Tax Discount.
A. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2009 and in each fiscal year thereafter, the Allegheny County Treasurer shall provide the option for County real property taxpayers who avail themselves of the early payment discount authorized by §5-809.04 of this Administrative Code to contribute all or a portion of any discount to which they are entitled solely for use by the Community College of Allegheny County. The Treasurer shall properly account for all such designated voluntary contributions, and, no later than May 1 of each tax year, provide the County Council and the County Manager with notice of the total amount voluntarily contributed to the College under the terms of this Section in that tax year.
B. Council shall appropriate the amount of the voluntary contributions for use by the College in the following tax year, and such appropriation shall not in any way derogate or otherwise alter any other general or specific appropriation(s) made to the College by the County.
C. Payment of any amount under the terms of this Section shall be entirely voluntary, and no preference of any kind shall be granted to any individual, group or other entity based upon whether such contribution was made.
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.