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Motion expressing the Sense of Council of Allegheny County, supporting Senate Bill 370, sponsored by Senator Jane Clare Orie, amending Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes pertaining to municipal authorities, providing for changes to the procedure for method of incorporation, for limitations and prohibitions on the governing body, and for the money of authorities; and further, calling upon Members of the General Assembly to consider and pass Senate Bill 370 to improve the accountability of Authorities to the municipalities which are served.
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WHEREAS, ensuring the accountability of municipal authorities to the general public and increasing the amount of public input in the operation of those authorities is necessary and appropriate because of the impact of financial decisions made that impact upon the general public; and
WHEREAS, recent reviews and investigations into existing County and City authorities have exhibited a lack of accountability and have also called into question the ability of authorities to operated unchecked and oversight-free; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 370 proposed by Senator Orie will require that a resolution of intent to create an authority be adopted by the majority of the governing body(ies); and further, would place the question of creating said authority on the ballot for a vote by the electorate; and
WHEREAS, the articles of incorporation filed when authorities are created would include the term of existence of that authority and its debt limitations, making said information part of the public record and providing real limitation on the purpose and responsibilities of the authority; and
WHEREAS, all projects and bonds of the authority would be subject to competitive bidding ensuring a fair, open process in which all individuals, organizations, and companies can participate; and all authorities would be subject to open records and open meetings laws in furtherance of the goal of public participation; and
WHEREAS, membership on authority boards would be more strictly governed - prohibiting a member from serving on more than one authority created by the same municipality, prohibiting elected or appointed officials of the appointing municipality, prohibits a board from being composed of members of the same political party, requires a retention election once members are appointed to the board, and adds conflict of interest provisions prohibiting members or employees of the authority from having an interest in any authority contracts; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 370 further requires annual audits by independent certified public accountants and provides that copies of the audits be sent to the General Assembly; every ten years, the report is required to contain an evaluation of the authority's performance and whether it should be continued; and
WHEREAS, County Council finds such legislation to be advisable, appropriate, and necessary to ensure public accountability and participation in the authority process;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, AND IT IS THE SENSE OF THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, that this Body supports Senate Bill 370, sponsored by Senator Jane Clare Orie, amending Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes pertaining to municipal authorities, providing for changes to the procedure for method of incorporation, for limitations and prohibitions on the governing body, and for the money of authorities; and further, calls upon Members of the General Assembly to consider and pass such legislation to improve the accountability of Authorities to the municipalities which are served.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this motion be transmitted to the Governor of the Commonwealth and the Members of the General Assembly from Allegheny County to express this Body's support of Senate Bill 370.