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Proclmation recognizing and honoring Council Member Wayne Fontana, for his contributions to the cause of good government and his dedication and service to the residents of Allegheny County.
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WHEREAS, Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have been blessed with exemplary leadership throughout the history of our great nation, with visionaries of great knowledge and determination making invaluable contributions to our communities, our country and the world; and
WHEREAS, Wayne Fontana was elected to be one of the founding members of the first Allegheny County Council, a landmark in government history after 212 years of the three commissioner form of government; and
WHEREAS, chosen by the members of his community for this task, his election reflected great respect and confidence in his abilities as a leader and community champion; he was also chosen to serve as this body's Vice President and provided unquestionable leadership in that role as well as in his Chairmanships of various Council Committees, including Budget & Finance, Economic Development, and Special Committee on Property Assessment;
WHEREAS, during Vice President Fontana's tenure on Council, his continual focus upon making County government more effective and responsive to its citizens led to a number of reforms that benefited all County taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, his accomplishments have included the implementation of a Homestead Exemption for County property owners; securing an increased discount on property taxes for senior citizens enrolled in the Act 77 program; guaranteeing that property assessment information provided on the County website will remain accessible at no cost to taxpayers; ensuring that property owners receive the best information on their property assessment through the inclusion of property record cards in notices; lobbying the General Assembly for changes to the existing property tax system; called for greater accountability by County Authorities; leading Council's discussion on the establishment of a Tax Increment Financing policy; and staunchly advocating for the interests and initiatives of individuals and organizations in District 12 over the past five years.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council hereby recognizes one of its founding members, Wayne Fontana, for his tremendous contributions to the cause of good government and citizen participation, representing the citizens of District 12 with the utmost integrity; the citizens of Allegheny County and this Council are truly indebted to him for his exemplary leadership in launching this new form of government.