Local governments are required to keep the public informed of meetings, bid opportunities, proposed ordinances and more. Currently, the only legal means for official notification remains expensive legal advertisements in physical print editions of paid newspapers. PSATS supports legislation that provides additional advertising options, including electronic advertisements, that reach a wider audience, have a shorter turnaround time, and reduce the financial burden on municipalities.

PSATS believes that the Commonwealth must maintain a predictable and reliable local funding method to maintain our roads and bridges. Currently, the gas tax is the only source of revenue for municipal liquid fuels funds used to maintain local infrastructure. Revenues from the gas tax have decreased since 2019 due to more fuel-efficient vehicles. A 2021 report identified a $3.9 billion funding gap for local roads and bridges.

PSATS supports alternative means of revenue for the maintenance of local roads, including a local share of at least 20% of a mileage-based fee, a dedicated distribution from an alternative fuels tax, as well as 100% of any proposed package delivery fee. Increases in oil prices also cause a direct rise in road maintenance expenses. Pennsylvania’s gas tax, by design, is adjusted to rise with higher fuel prices and should remain that way.

PSATS supports transparency, but commercial interests, particularly out-of-state businesses, are using public records for private financial gain, often free-of-charge under the existing state fee schedule. PSATS supports efforts that allow local governments to charge reasonable fees for public records requests that will be used for commercial purposes. PSATS also supports legislation to address bad actors who use the law in an abusive or harassing manner.

Unfunded mandates create additional financial stress on a municipality – and the only answers are higher taxes or reduced services. If state or federal officials wish to implement a new program or mandate, they must provide the money to pay for it.

Additionally, we support an amendment to the PA Constitution to prohibit the enactment of new laws that impose costs on municipalities unless the General Assembly provides sufficient funding for implementation.

Local governments are the primary partners in providing public safety services to residents, in conjunction with the state and federal government. This includes emergency management, police, fire, and EMS services. Recruiting and retaining first responders has grown more difficult; PSATS supports efforts to attract and keep first responders.

Unfunded state mandates have made local police service extremely expensive. PSATS supports municipal pension reforms that permit, but do not require, townships to enroll new officers in generous defined contribution plans ensuring the financial sustainability of the pension benefits. PSATS also strongly supports modest reforms to the arbitration process, including requirements that a municipality and its residents’ ability to pay be taken into consideration before a board of arbitration makes a decision. PSATS opposes costly new or expanded benefits for public safety employees unless full funding is provided by the Commonwealth. Finally, PSATS supports speed enforcement tools to enhance safety on our roads by municipal police departments.

The retention of municipal control of planning, zoning, subdivision, and other land use decisions is critical to townships’ ability to manage growth. Such decisions cannot and should not be made by the federal, state, or county governments, nor should these levels of government be given the authority to veto local land use decisions. The state legislature is considering proposals which would strip townships of local land use authority, including mandating that all municipalities provide for housing, apartments and mixed-use buildings, accessory dwelling units, commonly known as “granny flats,” and short term rentals.

While supportive of voluntary tools and options for planning for affordable and accessible housing, PSATS opposes any effort to preempt township’s authority to plan for and regulate land use. By distancing land use decisions from the people who are directly affected, the residents will lose their voice in determining the course of future growth and development in their own communities. In addition, PSATS opposes any legislation that would restrict or remove existing municipal land use controls, including subdivision and zoning, or exempt any use from municipal land use requirements, including agriculture and commercial solar facilities. Land development policies must balance the rights of the community and the legitimate interests of developers and not sacrifice the rights of residents to benefit special interests.