Allegheny County Council - File #: 1600-04

• File #: 1600-04
• Version: 2
• Name: Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, establishing a process by which modification or elimination of County departments, agencies, or functions are conducted, in accordance with Article IV, § 2m of the Home Rule Charter of Al
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Approved
• File created: 6/15/2004
• In control: Special Committee
• Final action: 8/17/2004
• Title: Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, establishing a process by which modification or elimination of County departments, agencies, or functions are conducted, in accordance with Article IV, § 2m of the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County.
• Sponsors: Jan Rea, Rich Fitzgerald, William Robinson, John DeFazio, Wayne Fontana, Joan Cleary, C.L. Jabbour, Chuck Martoni, Brenda Frazier, Eileen Watt, Vince Gastgeb

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
8/17/2004	2	County Council	Veto Overridden
7/23/2004	2	Chief Executive	Vetoed
7/13/2004	2	County Council	Passed for Chief Executive Signature	Pass
7/8/2004	1	Special Committee	Amended and Affirmatively Recommended as Amended
6/22/2004	1	Special Committee	Held in Committee
6/15/2004	1	County Council	Referred

TITLE
Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, establishing a process by which modification or elimination of County departments, agencies, or functions are conducted, in accordance with Article IV, § 2m of the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County.
BODY
WHEREAS, Article IV, § 2m of the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County provides that County Council shall have the power to "By ordinance or resolution, modify or eliminate any department, agency, or function that no longer meets the needs of the County's taxpayers;" and

WHEREAS, "modify" can mean a variety of things, from making minor changes to making basic or fundamental changes that give a new orientation or serve a new end; and

WHEREAS, since the modification or elimination of any County department, agency, or function would have budgetary implications, the authorizing power of Council to any changes by ordinance or resolution is even more appropriate; and

WHEREAS, recent discussions between the City and County have included the possibility of merging the functions of the City and County economic development agencies into one entity; such action which would result in the modification of the existing County department; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate that County Council, created to represent the diversity of the County's citizens and to provide better access to County government, and vested with the budgetary authority of the County, consider such modification and authorize such changes pursuant to the Home Rule Charter as part of its legislative function;

WHEREAS, such change should not be made without information relating to the financial condition of any non-County department, agency, or function that would be involved in such a modification; and

WHEREAS, such discussions provide opportunity to establish a process by which modifications or eliminations are considered and approved by Council.

The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby e...