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An ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, directing that a referendum question regarding the repeal of Article III, §7(c) of the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County, which prohibits only County Council members from receiving County funding for personal staff, district offices, and fringe benefits, be placed on the November 3, 2026 General Election ballot; and further amending Article III, §7, contingent upon the passage of the referendum question.
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Whereas, Article III, §7(c) of the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County applies only to Allegheny County Council members, and not to any other elected County official; and
Whereas, the prohibitions in Article III, §7(c) forbid members of Council from receiving County funding for “personal staff, local district offices or fringe benefits including, but not limited to, health and life insurance, pensions and personal motor vehicles”; and
Whereas, these benefits are available to the Chief Executive and the four County row officers; and
Whereas, it is the judgment of Council that these prohibitions ultimately restrict the Council members’ ability to function independently; and
Whereas, it is further the judgment of Council that the restrictions contained in §7(c) limit the field of individuals who are willing to seek to serve as members of Council by precluding fringe benefits that may to some extent offset the statutorily mandated low pay that they receive for their service; and
Whereas, the importance of a vital and inclusive legislative branch is further demonstrated by the Charter preamble: "[a] home rule government that separates the legislative and executive functions previously vested solely in the Board of County Commissioners will provide checks and balances on the powers of government and protect the rights, privileges and powers reserved or guaranteed to the people by the Constitutions of the United States of American and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.";...
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