|
Funding at all levels of government is tight and there is no sign that this trend will change quickly. Therefore, creativity is the watchword for projects of all magnitude,
Comments
[Add Comment]
especially if the earmarking at the federal level truly becomes an event of the past, and the State of Pennsylvania continues to be in deep financial trouble, threatening the traditional programs, let along not being able to start new services that may be badly needed. Recognizing that these trends may be with us for many years, the opportunity to innovate becomes more critical. here are a few ideas that could be tested in coming months.
1. Regional Asset District- this Allegheny County approach has been working for many years. It has not been adopted in other counties of the Commonwealth. It required special legislation to enable the District to become part of the role that has assisted many projects in the greater Pittsburgh area. Consideration should be given to adapting this approach elsewhere in the State.
2. Tax Sharing- this unique step has been taken in such places as the Twin Cities in Minnesota, the Meadowlands in New Jersey, in places in Ohio. When an economic development project locates in one jurisdiction, then the other shared tax jurisdiction, also, benefits. While a controversial step, tax sharing may be more likely in the future. the Pennsylvania Economy League did a special analysis of this concept several years ago.
3. Pennsylvania Economy League( PEL) may have even more important roles to play in governmental financial matters in the Commonwealth in coming years. Its reputation is solid, its professional staff is excellent, and the needs of local governments across the State are critical. One of its next steps might be to evaluate the financial steps that can be taken under the conditions that this State( and others) find themselves in presently.
4. With the new Administration in Harrisburg taking hold, perhaps a Financial Strategies Commission should be appointed, representing all sectors of the economy- private, public, and nonprofit- to come up with some new thinking regarding the structure of government, financial support, and other techniques that relate to and deal with aspects of funding of services.
5. A Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention has not been accomplished since 1968. It is time that such a grouping take place under the financial circumstances that currently exist. This would be a high level convocation that would consider changes that can be studied by such a group and recommendations and an action plan developed.
6. The Center for Rural Pennsylvania has published many reports of interest with specific stapes outlined that are recommended for adoption by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth. These actions should be compiled into a document that outlines such measures so that what has already been completed can be easily studied by the Legislature and appropriate actions taken.
While resolving the financial conditions in the Commonwealth will not be easy, there is always a need to think about strategies that can be creatively developed and eventually adopted, among which are the above six.
by Howard J. Grossman AICP
( Howard J. Grossman would be happy to provide consulting in any field relating to municipal and non-profit management. Contact him at GrossmanHJ@aol.com.)
|
Experts
Greenworks Philadelphia
Greenworks
1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Suite 100
Philadelphia,
PA
19102
Call 215-686-3495
With Greenworks Philadelphia as its guide, 21st century Philadelphia will face the challenges and...
Grant Sparks
Brownfields 2011-ICMA
777 N. Capitol NE< Suite 500
Washington,
DC
20002-4201
Call 202-962-3657
Creating More Sustainable Communities--Brownfields 2011
The National Brownfields Conference is t...
Raymond Lees
Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.
640 Freedom Business Center
King of Prussia,
PA
19406
Call 610-768-5813
For more than a century, Malcolm Pirnie has worked side-by-side with clients to help find the rig...
Lehigh County Authority
1053 Spruce St.
Allentown,
PA
18106
Call 610-398-2503
Lehigh County Authority is a municipal authority formed according to the Pennsylvania Municipalit...
President Kevin Flannery
GFOA of Pennsylvania
174 Crestview Drive
Bellefonte,
PA
16823
Call 877-700-4362
GFOA-PA Mission
The Government Finance Officers Association of Pennsylvania provides education, ...
Alan Gallagher
Christian-Baker Company
26 N 9th Street
Lemoyne,
PA
17043
Call 717-761-4712
Christian - Baker Company is an independent insurance agency that has been serving the insurance ...
Matt Garber
MuniLogic - Municpical Management Software
949 Easton Rd
Warrington,
PA
18976
Call 215 343 5700
CH2M HILL OM
Lisa Maggart
9193 S. Jamaica St., Suite 400
Denver,
CO
86112
Call 770-883-0319
We're a leader in providing the innovative utility, community and environmental solutions that ou...
President Mike Sand
Sand Associates
3560 Green Street
Harrisburg,
PA
17110
Call 717-238-5558
Each project will be coordinated by Michael A. Sand, founder of SAND ASSOCIATES. Mr. Sand has had...
Leadership David A. Larson, Sr.
dlarson@blackcsi.com
David A. Larson, Sr. is a retired U.S. Navy Commander having served on active duty for 32 years. ...
Erica Metzger
Social Media Extraordinaire
Call 717-606-6265
I offer a multitude of services based upon your individual preference. Whether you are a small b...
Annual Conference
Am Planning Association-PA
587 James Drive
Harrisburg,
PA
17112
Call 717-671-4510
The Pennsylvania Chapter of APA is a chapter of the American Planning Association (APA).
Principal Steve Kaczmarek
GASB Help
80 Lamberdon Rd.
Windsor,
CT
GASBhelp your solution to GASB 45 compliance
With the streamlined approach, known as the GASB 45...
Energy Effeciency Community Block Grant
US Energy Dept
1000 Independence Ave. SW, MS EE-2K
District of,
Columbia
20885
Call 877-337-3463
Over $2.7 billion in formula grants are now available to U.S. states, territories, local governme...
David Rettig
National Character Education Foundation
314 S. Main Street
Zelienople,
PA
16063
Call 724-631-0117
Thank you for your interest in the National Character Education Foundation (NCEF). The NCEF belie...
LCPC Execu James Cowhey
Lancaster County Planning Commission
150 N. Queen St. Suite 320
Lancaster,
PA
17603
Call 717-299-8333
The Lancaster County Planning Commission (LCPC) is the only agency that comprehensively addresses...
AWRA
American Water Resources Association
1947 N. 12th Street
Philadelphia,
PA
19122
Call 215-204-3054
Founded in 1964, the American Water Resources Association is a non-profit professional associatio...
Envista
Envista
900 Cummings Center, Suite 307V
Beverly,
MA
01915
Call 978-232-6300
Envista Corporation is a provider of innovative web-based services for the management oversight o...
Recycle Bank
Group SJR-Rep for Recycle Bank
1800 JFK Blvd., # 1800
Philadelphia,
PA
19103
Call 646-833-0206
Our Mission is Simple: We do it through easy single stream recycling, and rewarding good recyclin...
Empowered Custom Publishing
7249 Decatur St.
New Tripoli,
PA
18066
Call 484-707-4529
What is Custom Publishing and why is it, in an era of falling ad revenues and circulation?
Custo...
|
Sponsors and Events |
