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[Lifetime]

Well looks like another meeting for me to go to. It will be at 6:30 PM tonight. I have to wonder if anyone who is going to explain and set out the process...will give a tinker's damn about those of us who DO LIVE in Sharon, OWN the home we live in and PAY all out taxes and fees... and yet hold on hard just to be able to live here? Somewhere in all of this, I think those people were forgotten and were looked upon as "Organ Donars" for their use. Maybe we will find a solution that doesn't drive the rest of us out.... Now... Sharon Leaders..... it is up to you when this is all over. We never really had a say in any of this and when we did say anything.... no one seemed to listen. Ball is in their court. I will report on what I found out.

[Jayhawk]

are you saying Act 47 would be good or bad for the average taxpayer?

I would think that changing to the city charter already remedied most of the original causes of the the city's financial woes (new taxing options, more-professional budgeting and management), while there isn't much even under act 47 that would address the lack of people working to be able to pay taxes.

i always thought the program was supposed to be like bankruptcy: Something you go through shortterm while you get your act together, maybe have some harsh new abilities to fix things like union contracts, and then you get out of the program and go on with a new life.

Farrell, meanwhile, went into it like 20 years ago and doesn't seem to have any intention of coming out of it. In greenville, it was an emergency, bankruptcy-like thing to avoid the crisis after the mismanagement of having spent recreation-grant money for other things. Since then, the only thing that seems to be happening is that lawyers and consultants with "insert town name here" plans have continued to drain the town's coffers.

let us know how the meeting went.

[Lifetime]

Mr. Foreman and Mr. Fasenaut (SP) came to discuss the program. Now...before we begin... in the end they didn't think Sharon should go Act47. There was only one flag raised in the examination of the financial record but that wasn't high alert. What they did say was... that Council and Manager can do things to avert the need to use Act 47 BUT.... it ain't pretty for now.
 
Basically it can be a Bankruptcy but it can be utilizing a "financial/fiscal advisor" to correct the course we are on. There are tools available from their office to help us.... but it is in the hands of the people through the council. There could be monies available at low or no interest to pay up obligations. Under Act 47... present contracts cannot be changed but as in any contract...once it is completed..new negotiations can be done... to reflect the present condition of the Municipality. Discussed were many corners to look at closer to include aforementioned expired contracts, volunteer fire dept and again...consolidation. There is our ability to change some taxes...to increase taxes and collect them for people who live outside Sharon but work here but pay a lower amount to their home community. Needless to say.. there is a glitch because of the fact Homerule allowed the lowering of one city tax and increase another in the last year.  Even talk of Urban and Municipal Developement to make Sharon an attractive place to come and do business. We have too many empty store fronts and homes...said 230 empty homes. Refurbishing of neighborhoods to what I found out about last night from a Legislator... the "Blight Bill" that Rendell signed into law yesterday.....
 
PA SB900-
An Act amending Titles 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in organization and jurisdiction of courts of common pleas, authorizing housing courts; in Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, providing for deteriorated real property education and training program for judges; and providing for neighborhood blight reclamation and revitalization.
 
 
Where we got here was.... prior planning on having money coming in that this economy. Lack of it really put the Kibosh on it. This is almost the same as counting in "yet Unreceived" Stimulus miney into an active budget. It bites you in the end.
 
Now.... most of the people at the meeting were City Employees and even some non residents, but ...again...too few regular residents with no motive but to live here. There will be other meetings...and might I say.... from what was explained... all cities in Act 47 do their programs their way. There is no HARD LETTER way of doing this... the word "will" becomes "shall" in a lot of it so it is a program of adjustments for the individual community.
 
In all.... if Council does what is needed and not think about the next election cycle.... we could come out on our own. Hopefully it will only hurt for a short time... ( Bandaid off fast) or do only the easy things and extend... ( bandaid off slow).
 
Again...there will be more meetings and the residents need to be part of it or we will only get our "news" from the Herald..... who sent us to this forum or the Radio in the Valley that is more onesided opinion than instructive/informative anymore... I think with all the unemployed and Retirees we have...that Chamber should be Over Flow FULL. I didn't even mention those who are working or might be in programs that cover needs and wants.
 
 
 

are you saying Act 47 would be good or bad for the average taxpayer?

I would think that changing to the city charter already remedied most of the original causes of the the city's financial woes (new taxing options, more-professional budgeting and management), while there isn't much even under act 47 that would address the lack of people working to be able to pay taxes.

i always thought the program was supposed to be like bankruptcy: Something you go through shortterm while you get your act together, maybe have some harsh new abilities to fix things like union contracts, and then you get out of the program and go on with a new life.

Farrell, meanwhile, went into it like 20 years ago and doesn't seem to have any intention of coming out of it. In greenville, it was an emergency, bankruptcy-like thing to avoid the crisis after the mismanagement of having spent recreation-grant money for other things. Since then, the only thing that seems to be happening is that lawyers and consultants with "insert town name here" plans have continued to drain the town's coffers.

let us know how the meeting went.

[Lifetime]

They did say there are some who come out and those revenues were a PART of the recovery. It is a program with many ways and processes to utilize. Some cities who have worked it out are not on the newpa.com site...Titusville I think is one. And... it seems that Council isn't the only one who can request their help.... It seems a consensus of the residents is all that is needed...bypassing city council.... kinda like being able to call in an investigator to examine governing authority..as in asking the Attourneys General to investigate something, you as a citizen, think is wrong.
 
This is multifaceted, to say the least.
 
 

Benefits of act 47
No city has emerged from Act 47 status partially because of the benefits.^[2] The benefits include:     

• Revenue from the nonresident wage tax which is not available to cities unless they have Act 47 status.^[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financially_Distressed_Municipalities_Act
 
http://www.newpa.com/get-local-gov-support/technical-assistance/request-assistance/act-47/index.aspx