COUNTIES UNVEIL 2015 PRIORITIES

During a press event at the Capitol on Feb. 11, the CCAP leadership unveiled a list of ten county government legislative priorities for 2015 that call on state lawmakers to give counties the tools to provide efficient delivery of important services to state residents.

Counties have chosen 911 services system reform as the top priority, highlighting significant challenges in meeting rapidly changing technology requirements, a funding stream whose failure to keep pace with need requires counties to rely heavily and increasingly on the property tax, and the pending June 30, 2015 sunset of a key funding source of the system, the wireless telephone surcharge.

CCAP is working on a comprehensive rewrite of Chapter 53 of Title 35 with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, legislative committees, emergency management professionals, the communications industry and other interests. Outcomes will include ability to accommodate all current communication technologies including social networking platforms, ability to anticipate and fold in Next Generation technologies, consolidation of some elements of the system, and improvement in and consolidation of funding streams.

The 2015 priorities reflect counties' commitment to improving county governance and to ensuring they can continue to provide a full spectrum of services to the Commonwealth's citizens. Rounding out the list of priorities are maintenance of the shale gas impact fee, human services funding and further system reform, commonwealth responsibility for court funding, revenue opportunities and tax fairness, inmates with mental illness and substance abuse issues, prevention of substance abuse and drug overdose, transportation systems and bridge infrastructure, solid waste management and recycling funding, and tourism funding and hotel tax.

HOUSE, SENATE REVIEW 911 LEGISLATION

Both the House and Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committees held separate hearings on the rewrite of the 911 Emergency Telephone Act, each emphasizing the importance of moving a comprehensive update to the state's 911 law to the governor's desk before the June 30 sunset of the wireless surcharge.

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES FULL MEDICAID EXPANSION

On Feb. 9, Gov. Wolf fulfilled a campaign pledge by announcing plans to replace former Gov. Corbett's HealthyPA plan with an expanded Medicaid program. The Governor identified a transition plan that will occur over several months and ultimately withdraw the state's waiver request initiated by Gov. Corbett.

SEVERANCE TAX FOR EDUCATION PROPOSED

As outlined during his campaign, Gov. Wolf recently unveiled his natural gas severance tax proposal, the Pennsylvania Education Reinvestment Act. Modeled after West Virginia's severance tax, the Governor's proposal would levy a five percent severance tax plus 4.7 cents per thousand cubic feet of volume. While he has indicated that projected severance tax revenue will be included in his FY 2015-2016 budget proposal, the first full budget year for the tax would not be until FY 2016-2017 and at that time he expects the tax would generate more than $1 billion annually.  

The majority of revenues under the proposal would go toward education (both basic and higher education), with some monies designated to the state to provide additional oversight on drilling. The proposal repeals the current Act 13 impact fee, and while the Governor has indicated that his proposal contains similar payments as those currently being made to impacted communities, he also said that he had not yet worked out the specifics of how much local communities will get, other than indicating they will not lose funds under his proposal. Similarly, no detail was furnished whether the proposal specifically retains the Act 13 impact fee distribution structure for impacted counties and municipalities, and it is also unclear if the Governor's proposal includes the statewide distributions currently provided to all counties for open space purposes, at-risk bridges and conservation districts, or distributions to state agencies for issues like housing. 

STATE OFFICE TO LOOK FOR SAVINGS, EFFICIENCIES 

GOV. WOLF BUDGET ADDRESS SET FOR MARCH 3 

Gov. Tom Wolf will address a joint session of the Pennsylvania House and Senate on Tuesday, March 3, to offer his budget proposal for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Prior to the address, CCAP will be providing members with information on where to view the budget address and how to obtain copies of Gov. Wolf's remarks and budget proposal. More information, including an analysis of line items impacting county programs, will also be available on the CCAP Budget News and Updates page.