• Transfer substantial authority over our County government from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the people of Allegheny County;
• Eliminate the Board of County Commissioners;
• Provide checks and balances on the powers of County government by separating legislative and executive authority and functions - a core principle on which the Constitution of the United States was founded;
• Provide for a legislative County Council with Members elected by district and at large that will, for the first time ever, ensure local representation of every corner of Allegheny County, providing access from our diverse communities to County government;
• Provide for an elected Chief Executive who will provide leadership with vision and accountability and represent the region effectively when vying for scarce federal and state funding;
• Provide for an appointed professional Manager with statutory authority who will improve the effectiveness and efficiency and reduce the costs of day-to-day County government operations;
• Permit the people, through initiative and referendum, to bring concerns before the County Council or put them directly to referendum;
• Provide a process under which the voters of Allegheny County, rather than the Pennsylvania General Assembly, can by referendum, change the organization or structure of County government;
• Preserve the powers and structure of our cities, boroughs, townships and Home Rule municipalities and not foster metropolitanism;
• Require a two-thirds supermajority vote of the County Council to change real estate tax rates;
• Not authorize any new subjects of County taxation;
• Forbid the County from reaping windfall benefits from reassessments or changes in the assessment ratio;
• Require that every County function and department be evaluated every four years, and be eliminated unless specifically renewed;
• Cap the costs of the County Council and Executive and immediately reduce the cost of administering County government;
• Professionalize the County's employ-ment practices;
• Hold County officers and employees to high standards of conduct and behavior through a comprehensive Code of Accountability, Conduct and Ethics;
• Establish a County Government Review Commission to periodically evaluate County government and the Charter; and
• Improve the delivery of County services, promote economic growth and development, encourage the creation of family-sustaining jobs, and foster a higher quality of life for all County residents.

Source: The Allegheny County Charter Drafting Committee