The Home Rule Charter will:
-
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