PRINTER'S NO. 681
No. 615 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY W. KELLER, MARCH 6, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, MARCH 6, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 1, 2004 (P.L.1750, No.226),
2 entitled "An act providing for economic development districts
3 in cities of the first class; imposing penalties; and
4 conferring powers and duties on the Department of Community
5 and Economic Development and the Department of Revenue,"
6 further providing for the First Class Cities Economic
7 Development District Program.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Section 301 of the act of December 1, 2004
11 (P.L.1750, No.226), known as the First Class Cities Economic
12 Development District Act, is amended to read:
13 Section 301. Program.
14 (a) Establishment.--There is established within the
15 department a program to be known as the First Class Cities
16 Economic Development District Program. The program shall
17 encourage development of deteriorated property by providing the
18 tax exemptions, deductions, abatements or credits provided by
19 this act to persons who own interests in qualified pass-through
20 entities and to residents of and qualified businesses located in
1 economic development districts.
2 [(b) Proposal.--On or before July 15, 2005, the Governor
3 may, by executive order, propose the designation of deteriorated
4 property within cities of the first class as economic
5 development districts. The executive order shall specify the
6 period of time, not to extend beyond December 31, 2018, for
7 which the tax exemptions, deductions, abatements or credits
8 provided by this act may be granted. The department shall
9 immediately notify the owners of the deteriorated property and
10 the political subdivisions in which the deteriorated property is
11 located.]
12 (b.1) Proposal.--
13 (1) On or before July 15, 2007, the Governor may, by
14 executive order, propose the designation of deteriorated
15 property within cities of the first class as economic
16 development districts. The executive order shall specify the
17 period of time, not to extend beyond December 31, 2020, for
18 which the tax exemptions, deductions, abatements or credits
19 provided by this act may be granted. The department shall
20 immediately notify the owners of the deteriorated property
21 and the political subdivisions in which the deteriorated
22 property is located.
23 (2) The land identified under Executive Order 2005-04
24 may not be the property proposed under paragraph (1).
25 (c) Application.--Upon receipt of a request from the owners
26 of deteriorated property notified under subsection [(b)] (b.1),
27 a city of the first class may apply to the department for
28 approval of the proposal to designate the deteriorated property
29 as an economic development district for the period specified
30 under subsection [(b)] (b.1). The application shall be on a form
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1 provided by the department and shall include a copy of an
2 ordinance, resolution or other required action from the
3 governing body of the city of the first class consistent with
4 the requirements of section 302.
5 (d) Designation.--If all political subdivisions within a
6 proposed economic development district submit timely, completed
7 applications, the department shall approve the applications and
8 designate the property identified pursuant to subsection (b.1)
9 as an economic development district. The State tax exemptions,
10 deductions, abatements or credits set forth in this act and the
11 local tax exemptions, deductions, abatements or credits set
12 forth in this act shall take effect on the date the property is
13 designated an economic development district. Qualified
14 businesses and persons who own interests in qualified pass-
15 through entities within the economic development district shall
16 be entitled to the State tax exemptions, deductions, abatements
17 or credits set forth in this act and the local tax exemptions,
18 deductions, abatements or credits set forth in this act for the
19 period for which the economic development district has been
20 designated.
21 (e) Limitation.--The aggregate amount of deteriorated
22 property proposed by the Governor under subsection [(b)] (b.1)
23 may not exceed 85 acres.
24 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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