Title...
An Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending and supplementing Division 1 of the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, entitled "Administrative Code," Article 801.09, entitled "Restrictions on expenditures," in order to enforce limitations on bonuses funded by County appropriations.
Body...
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of Article IV, §2(c) of the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County, County Council is charged with the duty to "[a]dopt balanced annual operating and capital budgets as provided in Article VII;" and
WHEREAS, pursuant to this duty the County is obligated to sanction funds wisely and to hold down expenses which unnecessarily inflate the cost of funding the various organizations which the County's Operating Budget facilitates; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes in paying fair wages for work performed, the very nature of bonus payments is compensation above and beyond payments fairly negotiated at the outset of an employment agreement and is arguably in excess of fair compensation which cannot be sustained in a strained economy and should be curbed; and
WHEREAS, the continued practice of authorizing general appropriations for expenses for various departments without "line-item" indication on salaries to be granted there could result in an ever-increasing amount of bonus payments to certain employees without the knowledge and consent of Council; and
WHEREAS, it is the judgment of Council that limiting the amount that can be appropriated for compensation to employees within the capital budget is in the best interest of the residents of the County and reflects a sense of fairness in the distribution of money from County operating funds; and
WHEREAS, it is further the judgment of Council that establishing such a limitation will render the Council's budgetary oversight more effective, in keeping with its budget-related duties under the Home Rule Charter;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby enacts as
follows:
SECTION 1. Amendment of §5-801.09 of the Administrative Code.
The Administrative Code of Allegheny County, §5-801.09 is hereby amended as follows:
§ 5-801.09. Restrictions on expenditures.
C. No appropriations from the County Operating Budget shall be used to provide bonuses for employees of any organization which are not otherwise tied to overtime or contractual union obligations or routine cost-of-living adjustments.
SECTION 2. Effective Date.
The provisions of this Ordinance shall become effective on the date of final approval.
SECTION 3. 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.
SECTION 4. Repealer. Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting
with the provisions of this Ordinance is hereby repealed so far as the same
affects this Ordinance.
PRIMARY SPONSOR: COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON