PRINTER'S NO. 3241
No. 2415 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY HERMAN, HENNESSEY, TANGRETTI, ARGALL, BENNINGHOFF, M. COHEN, DeLUCA, FARGO, GEIST, GODSHALL, R. MILLER, RUBLEY, SAYLOR, SEYFERT, SHANER, STERN, STEVENSON, SURRA, TRICH, TULLI, WILT, WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 22, 2000
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MARCH 22, 2000
AN ACT 1 Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania 2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for definitions 3 relating to consolidation or merger, for initiative of 4 electors seeking consolidation or merger without home rule; 5 providing for initiative of electors seeking consolidation or 6 merger with a new home rule charter; further providing for 7 conduct of referenda and for consolidation or merger 8 agreement; and making editorial changes. 9 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 10 hereby enacts as follows: 11 Section 1. The definition of "initiative" in section 732 of 12 Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended 13 and the section is amended by adding definitions to read: 14 § 732. Definitions. 15 The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter 16 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 17 context clearly indicates otherwise: 18 "Commission." A board of members elected under the 19 provisions of section 735.1 (relating to initiative of electors 20 seeking consolidation or merger with new home rule charter) to
1 consider the advisability of the adoption of a new home rule 2 charter for the proposed consolidated or merged municipality 3 and, if advisable, to draft and recommend a new home rule 4 charter to the electorate. 5 * * * 6 "Electors." The registered voters of a municipality involved 7 in proceedings relating to the adoption and repeal of optional 8 forms of government. 9 * * * 10 "Initiative." The filing with applicable election officials 11 of a petition containing a proposal for a referendum to be 12 placed on the ballot of the next election. The petition shall 13 be: 14 (1) Filed not later than the 13th Tuesday prior to the 15 next election in which it will appear on the ballot. 16 (2) Signed by voters comprising 5% [of the persons] of 17 the number of electors voting for the office of Governor in 18 the last gubernatorial general election in the municipality 19 where the proposal will appear on the ballot. 20 (3) Placed on the ballot by election officials in a 21 manner fairly representing the content of the petition for 22 decision by referendum at the election. 23 (4) Submitted not more than once in five years. 24 * * * 25 "New home rule charter." A written document that defines the 26 powers, structure, privileges, rights and duties of the proposed 27 consolidated or merged municipality, the limitations thereon and 28 that provides for the composition and election of the governing 29 body chosen by popular elections. 30 * * * 20000H2415B3241 - 2 -
1 Section 2. Sections 734(b)(4) and 735 of Title 53 are 2 amended to read: 3 § 734. Joint agreement of governing bodies. 4 * * * 5 (b) Elements.--The joint agreement shall include, but not be 6 limited to: 7 * * * 8 (4) Whether a consolidated or merged municipality shall 9 be governed solely by the code and other general laws 10 applicable to the kind and class of the consolidated or 11 merged municipality; whether it shall be governed by a home 12 rule charter or optional plan of government previously 13 adopted pursuant to [the act of April 13, 1972 (P.L.184, 14 No.62), known as the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans 15 Law,] Subpart E of Part III (relating to home rule and 16 optional plan government), by one of the municipalities to be 17 consolidated or merged; or whether it shall be governed by a 18 home rule charter or optional plan of government that has not 19 been previously adopted in accordance with [the Home Rule 20 Charter and Optional Plans Law] Subpart E of Part III by any 21 of the municipalities to be consolidated or merged, but 22 which, in the case of an optional plan of government, has 23 been selected and approved by the governing body of each of 24 the municipalities to be consolidated or merged from among 25 the options provided for in [the Home Rule Charter and 26 Optional Plans Law] Subpart E of Part III or, in the case of 27 a home rule charter, has been formulated and approved by the 28 governing body of each of the municipalities to be 29 consolidated or merged; provided, however, that nothing in 30 this subchapter shall be construed as authorizing a 20000H2415B3241 - 3 -
1 municipality adopting a home rule charter or optional plan of 2 government pursuant to this subchapter to exercise powers not 3 granted to a municipality adopting a home rule charter or an 4 optional plan of government pursuant to [the Home Rule 5 Charter and Optional Plans Law] Subpart E of Part III. 6 * * * 7 § 735. Initiative of electors seeking consolidation or merger 8 without new home rule charter. 9 (a) General rule.--In order for consolidation or merger 10 proceedings to be initiated by petition of electors, petitions 11 containing signatures of at least 5% of the number of electors 12 voting for the office of Governor in the last gubernatorial 13 general election in each municipality proposed to be 14 consolidated or merged shall be filed with the county board of 15 elections of the county in which the municipality, or the 16 greater portion of its territory, is located. 17 (b) Notice to governing bodies affected.--When election 18 officials find that a petition is in proper order, they shall 19 send copies of the initiative petition without the signatures 20 thereon to the governing bodies of each of the municipalities 21 affected by the proposed consolidation or merger. 22 (c) Contents.--A petition shall set forth: 23 (1) The name of the municipality from which the signers 24 of the petition were obtained. 25 (2) The names of the municipalities proposed to be 26 consolidated or merged. 27 (3) The name of the consolidated or merged municipality. 28 (4) The type and class of the consolidated or merged 29 municipality. 30 (5) Whether a consolidated or merged municipality shall 20000H2415B3241 - 4 -
1 be governed solely by the code and other general laws 2 applicable to the kind and class of the consolidated or 3 merged municipality; whether it shall be governed by a home 4 rule charter or optional plan of government previously 5 adopted pursuant to the [act of April 13, 1972 (P.L.184, 6 No.62), known as the Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans 7 Law,] Subpart E of Part III (relating to home rule and 8 optional plan government), by one of the municipalities to be 9 consolidated or merged; or whether it shall be governed by an 10 optional plan of government that has not been previously 11 adopted in accordance with [the Home Rule Charter and 12 Optional Plans Law] Subpart E of Part III by any of the 13 municipalities to be consolidated or merged, but which has 14 been selected from among the options provided for in [the 15 Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law] Subpart E of Part 16 III and is identified in the petition; provided, however, 17 that nothing in this subchapter shall be construed as 18 authorizing a municipality adopting an optional plan of 19 government pursuant to this subchapter to exercise powers not 20 granted to a municipality adopting an optional plan of 21 government pursuant to [the Home Rule Charter and Optional 22 Plans Law] Subpart E of Part III. 23 (6) In the case of a merger, where the surviving 24 municipality is a city which had previously adopted an 25 optional charter pursuant to the act of July 15, 1957 26 (P.L.901, No.399), known as the Optional Third Class City 27 Charter Law, whether the resulting merged municipality will 28 continue to operate under the optional charter. 29 (7) The number of districts or wards, if any, into which 30 the consolidated or merged municipality will be divided for 20000H2415B3241 - 5 -
1 the purpose of electing all or some members of its governing 2 body. 3 (d) Filing of petition.--The consolidation or merger 4 petition shall be filed with the election officials not later 5 than the 13th Tuesday prior to the next primary, municipal or 6 general election. The petition and proceedings on the petition 7 shall be conducted in the manner and subject to the provisions 8 of the election laws which relate to the signing, filing and 9 adjudication of nomination petitions insofar as the provisions 10 are applicable, except that no referendum petition shall be 11 signed or circulated prior to the 20th Tuesday before the 12 election, nor later than the 13th Tuesday before the election. 13 Section 3. Title 53 is amended by adding a section to read: 14 § 735.1. Initiative of electors seeking consolidation or merger 15 with new home rule charter. 16 (a) General rule.--In order for a commission and 17 consolidation or merger proceedings to be initiated by petition 18 of electors, petitions containing signatures of at least 5% of 19 the number of electors voting for the office of Governor in the 20 last gubernatorial general election in each municipality 21 proposed to be consolidated or merged shall be filed with the 22 county board of elections of the county in which the 23 municipality, or the greater portion of its territory, is 24 located. 25 (b) Notice to governing bodies affected.--When election 26 officials find that a petition is in proper order, they shall 27 send copies of the initiative petition without the signatures 28 thereon to the governing bodies of each of the municipalities 29 affected by the proposed consolidation or merger. 30 (c) Contents.--A petition shall set forth: 20000H2415B3241 - 6 -
1 (1) The name of the municipality from which the signers 2 of the petition were obtained. 3 (2) The names of the municipalities proposed to be 4 consolidated or merged. 5 (3) The name of the consolidated or merged municipality. 6 (4) The type and class of the consolidated or merged 7 municipality. 8 (5) The number of persons to compose the commission. 9 (d) Filing of petition.-- 10 (1) A commission and consolidation or merger proceedings 11 petition under this section shall be filed with the election 12 officials not later than the 13th Tuesday prior to the next 13 primary, municipal or general election. 14 (2) The petition and proceedings on the petition shall 15 be conducted in the manner and subject to the provisions of 16 the election laws which relate to the signing, filing and 17 adjudication of nomination petitions insofar as the 18 provisions are applicable, except that no referendum petition 19 shall be signed or circulated prior to the 20th Tuesday 20 before the election, nor later than the 13th Tuesday before 21 the election. 22 (e) Election of members of commission.-- 23 (1) A commission of seven, nine or eleven members, as 24 designated in the question, shall be elected by the qualified 25 voters at the same election the question is submitted to the 26 electors. 27 (2) Each candidate for the office of member of the 28 commission shall be nominated and placed upon the ballot 29 containing the question in the manner provided by and subject 30 to the provisions of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, 20000H2415B3241 - 7 -
1 No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, which 2 relate to the nomination of a candidate nominated by 3 nomination papers filed for other offices elective by the 4 voters. Each candidate shall be nominated and listed without 5 any political designation or slogan and no nomination paper 6 shall be signed or circulated prior to the 13th Tuesday 7 before the election nor later than the tenth Tuesday before 8 the election. No signature shall be counted unless it bears a 9 date within this period. 10 (3) Each elector shall be instructed to vote on the 11 question and, regardless of the manner of his vote on the 12 question, to vote for the designated number of members of a 13 commission who shall serve if the question is or has been 14 determined in the affirmative. 15 (4) If an insufficient number of nominating papers is 16 filed to fill all of the designated positions on the 17 commission, the question of establishing a commission shall 18 be placed on the ballot and, unless a sufficient number of 19 commission members are elected by receiving at least as many 20 votes as signatures are required to file a nominating 21 petition, then the question of creating a commission shall be 22 deemed to have been rejected. 23 (f) Nomination of candidates.-- 24 (1) All candidates for the commission shall be electors. 25 Each candidate shall be nominated from the area of the 26 proposed consolidated or merged municipality by nomination 27 papers signed by a number of electors equal at least to 2% of 28 the number of electors voting for the office of Governor in 29 the last gubernatorial general election in each municipality 30 proposed to be consolidated or merged or 200 electors from 20000H2415B3241 - 8 -
1 each municipality, whichever is less, and filed with the 2 county board of elections of the county in which the 3 municipality, or the greater portion of its territory, is 4 located not later than the tenth Tuesday prior to the date of 5 the election. 6 (2) Each nomination paper shall set forth the name, 7 place of residence and post office address of the candidate 8 thereby nominated, that the nomination is for the office of 9 commissioner and that the signers are legally qualified to 10 vote for the candidate. An elector may not sign nomination 11 papers for more candidates for the commission than he could 12 vote for at the election. Every elector signing a nomination 13 paper shall write his place of residence, post office address 14 and street number, if any, on the petition. 15 (3) Each nomination paper shall, before it may be filed 16 with the county board of elections, contain under oath of the 17 candidate an acceptance of the nomination in writing, signed 18 by the candidate therein nominated, upon or annexed to the 19 paper, or, if the same person be named in more than one 20 paper, upon or annexed to one of the papers. The acceptance 21 shall certify that the candidate is an elector, that the 22 nominee consents to run as a candidate at the election and 23 that, if elected, the candidate agrees to take office and 24 serve. 25 (4) Each nomination paper shall be verified by an oath 26 of one or more of the signers, taken and subscribed before a 27 person qualified under the laws of this Commonwealth to 28 administer an oath, to the effect that the paper was signed 29 by each of the signers in his proper handwriting, that the 30 signers are, to the best knowledge and belief of the affiant, 20000H2415B3241 - 9 -
1 electors and that the nomination paper is prepared and filed 2 in good faith for the sole purpose of endorsing the person 3 named therein for election as stated in the paper. 4 (g) Results of election.--The result of the votes cast for 5 and against the question as to the election of a commission and 6 consolidation and merger proceedings shall be returned by the 7 election officers, and a canvass of the election had, as is 8 provided by law in the case of other public questions put to the 9 electors. The votes cast for members of the commission shall be 10 counted and the result returned by the county board of electors 11 of the county in which the municipality, or the greater portion 12 of its territory, is located, and a canvass of the election had, 13 as is provided by law in the case of election of members of 14 municipal councils or boards. The designated number of 15 candidates receiving the greatest number of votes shall be 16 elected and shall constitute the commission. If a majority of 17 those voting on the question vote against the election of a 18 commission, none of the candidates shall be elected. If two or 19 more candidates for the last seat shall be equal in number of 20 votes, they shall draw lots to determine which one shall be 21 elected. 22 (h) Oath of office of members of commission.-- 23 (1) As soon as possible and in any event no later than 24 ten days after its certification of election, the members of 25 a commission elected on a countywide basis shall, before a 26 judge of a court of common pleas, make oath to support the 27 Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of 28 Pennsylvania and to perform the duties of the office with 29 fidelity. 30 (2) As soon as possible and in any event no later than 20000H2415B3241 - 10 -
1 ten days after its certification of election, the members of 2 a commission elected on other than a countywide basis shall, 3 before a district justice, make oath to support the 4 Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of 5 Pennsylvania and to perform the duties of the office with 6 fidelity. 7 (i) First meeting of commission.-- 8 (1) As soon as possible and in any event no later than 9 15 days after its certification of election, a commission 10 shall organize and hold its first meeting and elect one of 11 its members chairman and another member vice chairman, fix 12 its hours and place of meeting and adopt rules for the 13 conduct of business it deems necessary and advisable. 14 (2) A majority of the members of the commission shall 15 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but no 16 recommendation of the commission shall have any legal effect 17 unless adopted by a majority of the whole number of the 18 members of the commission. 19 (j) Vacancies.--In case of a vacancy in a commission, the 20 remaining members of the commission shall fill it by appointing 21 thereto some other properly qualified elector. 22 (k) Function and duty of commission.-- 23 (1) A commission shall study the advisability of a new 24 home rule charter form of government for the proposed 25 consolidated or merged municipality and compare it with other 26 available forms under the laws of this Commonwealth and 27 determine in its judgment which form of government is more 28 clearly responsible or accountable to the people and its 29 operation more economical and efficient. 30 (2) If a new home rule charter is found to be the most 20000H2415B3241 - 11 -
1 effective form of government for the proposed consolidated or 2 merged municipality, the commission shall draft and recommend 3 a new home rule charter for the proposed consolidated or 4 merged municipality to the electorate. 5 (l) Compensation and personnel.-- 6 (1) Members of the government study commission shall 7 serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed by the 8 municipalities proposed to be consolidated or merged for 9 their necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their 10 duties. Each governing body shall appropriate moneys 11 necessary for this purpose. 12 (2) Within the limits of the appropriations and other 13 publicly and privately contributed funds and services made 14 available to it, the commission may appoint one or more 15 consultants and clerical and other assistants to serve at the 16 pleasure of the commission and may fix reasonable 17 compensation therefore to be paid the consultants and 18 clerical and other assistants. 19 (m) Hearings and public forums.--A commission shall hold one 20 or more public hearings, may hold private hearings and sponsor 21 public forums and generally shall provide for the widest 22 possible public information and discussion respecting the 23 purposes and progress of its work. 24 (n) Report of findings and recommendations.-- 25 (1) A commission shall report its findings and 26 recommendations to the citizens of the proposed consolidated 27 or merged municipalities within nine months from the date of 28 its election except that it shall be permitted an additional 29 nine months if it elects to prepare and submit a proposed new 30 home rule charter and an additional two months if it chooses 20000H2415B3241 - 12 -
1 to provide for the election of its governing body by 2 districts. It shall publish or cause to be published 3 sufficient copies of its final report for public study and 4 information and shall deliver to the municipal clerk or 5 secretary of each municipality proposed to be consolidated or 6 merged sufficient copies of the report to supply it to any 7 interested citizen upon request. If the commission recommends 8 the adoption of a new home rule charter, the report shall 9 contain the complete plan as recommended. 10 (2) There shall be attached to each copy of the report 11 of the commission, as a part thereof, a statement sworn to by 12 the members of the commission listing in detail the funds, 13 goods, materials and services, both public and private, used 14 by the commission in the performance of its work and the 15 preparation and filing of the report and identifying 16 specifically the supplier of each item thereon. 17 (3) A copy of the final report of the commission with 18 its findings and recommendations shall be filed with the 19 Department of Community and Economic Development. 20 (4) All the records, reports, tapes, minutes of meetings 21 and written discussions of the commission shall, upon its 22 discharge, be turned over to the municipal clerk or secretary 23 of each municipality proposed to be consolidated or merged 24 for permanent safekeeping and made available for public 25 inspection at any time during regular business hours. 26 (o) Discharge of petition and amended reports.-- 27 (1) A commission shall be discharged upon the filing of 28 its report, but, if the commission's recommendations require 29 further procedure in the form of a referendum on the part of 30 the electors, the commission shall not be discharged until 20000H2415B3241 - 13 -
1 the procedure has been concluded. At any time prior to 60 2 days before the date of the referendum, the commission may 3 modify or change any recommendation set forth in the final 4 report by publishing an amended report. 5 (2) Whenever a commission issues an amended report 6 pursuant to paragraph (1), the amended report shall supersede 7 the final report and the final report shall cease to have any 8 legal effect. 9 (3) The procedure to be taken under the amended report 10 shall be governed by the provisions of this subpart 11 applicable to the final report of a commission submitted 12 pursuant to subsection (n). 13 (p) Types of action recommended.--A commission shall report 14 and recommend in accordance with this section: 15 (1) That a referendum should be held to submit to the 16 electors the question of consolidating or merging the 17 specific municipalities and adopting a new home rule charter 18 as prepared by the commission and as authorized by this 19 subpart. 20 (2) That the form of government of the respective 21 municipalities should remain unchanged and that under this 22 section no consolidation or merger should take place. 23 (3) Such other action as it deems advisable consistent 24 with its functions as set forth in this subpart. 25 (q) Specificity of recommendations.-- 26 (1) If a commission recommends the adoption of a new 27 home rule charter, it shall specify the number to be on the 28 governing body, all offices to be filled by election and 29 whether elections shall be on an at-large, district or 30 combination district and at-large basis. 20000H2415B3241 - 14 -
1 (2) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this 2 subpart, if an approved new home rule charter adopted 3 pursuant to the provisions of this subpart specifies that the 4 election of the governing body should be on an at-large, 5 district or combination district and at-large basis and the 6 basis recommended differs from the existing basis and 7 therefore required eliminating districts or establishing 8 revised or new districts, then election of municipal 9 officials shall not take place on the new basis until the 10 municipal election following the next primary election taking 11 place more than 180 days after the election at which the 12 referendum on the question of a consolidation or merger and 13 new home rule charter has been approved by the electorate. 14 The consolidation or merger and new home rule charter shall 15 not go into effect until the first Monday in January 16 following the election of municipal officials on the new 17 basis as provided in section 738 (relating to effectuation of 18 consolidation or merger). New or revised districts shall be 19 established by the commission and included in the proposed 20 charter. 21 (r) Form of question on consolidation or merger and new home 22 rule charter.--The question to be submitted to the voters for 23 the adoption of consolidation or merger and a new home rule 24 charter shall be submitted in the following form or such part as 25 shall be applicable. 26 Shall the municipalities of (insert names of 27 municipalities consolidating or merging) be (insert 28 consolidated or merged) to become (insert name of new 29 municipality, type and class of municipality) under a new 30 home rule charter contained in the report, dated (insert 20000H2415B3241 - 15 -
1 date), of the commission? 2 (s) Submission of question on consolidation or merger and 3 new home rule charter.--If a commission recommends that the 4 question of adopting consolidation or merger and a new home rule 5 charter authorized by this subpart should be submitted to the 6 electors, the municipal clerk or secretary of each municipality 7 proposed to be consolidated or merged shall, within five days 8 thereafter, certify a copy of the commission's report to the 9 county board of elections of the county in which the 10 municipality, or the greater portion of its territory, is 11 located, which shall cause the question of adoption or rejection 12 to be placed upon the ballot or voting machines at the time as 13 the commission specifies in its report. The commission may cause 14 the question to be submitted to the electors at the next 15 primary, municipal or general election occurring not less than 16 60 days following the filing of a copy of the commission's 17 report with the county board of elections, at the time the 18 commission's report directs. At the election, the question of 19 adopting consolidation or merger and a new home rule charter 20 recommended by the commission shall be submitted to the electors 21 by the county board of elections in the same manner as other 22 questions are submitted to the electors under the Pennsylvania 23 Election Code. The commission shall frame the question to be 24 placed upon the ballot as provided for in subsection (r) and, if 25 it deems appropriate, an interpretative statement to accompany 26 the question. 27 (t) Amendment of new home rule charter.--The procedure for 28 amending the new home rule charter of the consolidated or merged 29 municipality created under this subpart shall be through the 30 initiative procedure and referendum or ordinance of the 20000H2415B3241 - 16 -
1 governing body as provided for in Subchapter C of Subpart E of 2 Part III (relating to amendment of existing charter or optional 3 plan). 4 (u) General powers and limitation of consolidated or merged 5 municipality under new home rule charter.--Nothing in this 6 section shall be construed as authorizing a consolidated or 7 merged municipality adopting a new home rule charter to exercise 8 powers not granted to a municipality adopting a home rule 9 charter pursuant to the Subpart E of Part III (relating to home 10 rule and optional plan government). 11 Section 4. Sections 736 and 737 of Title 53 are amended to 12 read: 13 § 736. Conduct of referenda. 14 (a) Duty to place on ballot.--Following initiation of 15 proceedings for consolidation or merger by the procedures set 16 forth either in section 734 (relating to joint agreement of 17 governing bodies) or 735 (relating to initiative of electors)[,] 18 seeking consolidation or merger without new home rule charter) 19 or 735.1 (relating to initiative of electors seeking 20 consolidation or merger with new home rule charter) the question 21 of consolidation or merger as set forth in the joint agreement 22 or initiative [petition] petitions shall be placed before the 23 electors of each of the municipalities proposed to be 24 consolidated or merged. A referendum shall be held at the first 25 primary, municipal or general election occurring at least 13 26 weeks after either: 27 (1) the date of the general agreement entered into under 28 the provisions of section 734; or 29 (2) the date of filing of the [petition] petitions filed 30 under the provisions of [section 735.] sections 735 and 20000H2415B3241 - 17 -
1 735.1. This subsection shall not prevent the provisions of 2 section 735.1(q) from being implemented. 3 (b) Approval.--[Consolidation] Pursuant to sections 734, 735 4 and 735.1 consolidation or merger shall not be effective unless 5 the referendum question is approved by a majority of the 6 electors voting in each of the municipalities in which the 7 referendum is held. If in any one of the municipalities in which 8 the referendum is held a majority vote in favor of consolidation 9 or merger does not result, the referendum shall fail and 10 consolidation or merger shall not take place. The same question 11 described in the consolidation or merger proposal shall not be 12 voted on again for a period of five years. 13 (c) Subsequent referenda.--The five-year moratorium on 14 voting the same consolidation or merger question as provided in 15 subsection (b) shall be deemed not to apply to any subsequent 16 referendum question involving a consolidation or merger of any 17 combination of two or more contiguous municipalities if the 18 referendum question differs or is dissimilar in any way from a 19 previous referendum question which was not approved as provided 20 for in subsection (b). 21 § 737. Consolidation or merger agreement. 22 (a) Form.--Upon favorable action by the electorate on 23 consolidation or merger, in cases where consolidation or merger 24 was initiated by petition of electors under section 735 25 (relating to initiative of electors seeking consolidation or 26 merger without new home rule charter) or section 735.1 (relating 27 to initiative of electors seeking consolidation or merger with 28 new home rule charter), the governing bodies of the 29 municipalities to be consolidated or merged shall meet within 60 30 days after the certification of the favorable vote and shall 20000H2415B3241 - 18 -
1 within a reasonable time after certification make a
2 consolidation or merger agreement as follows:
3 (1) [If] Under section 735 if the governing body, or
4 part of the governing body, of the consolidated or merged
5 municipality is to be elected on a district or ward basis,
6 the agreement shall set forth the district or ward boundaries
7 and the district or ward designation, by number, and the
8 number of members of the municipal governing body to be
9 elected from each district or ward. The boundaries of the
10 districts or wards shall be established to achieve
11 substantially equal representation.
12 (2) The agreement shall set forth terms for:
13 (i) The disposition of the existing assets of each
14 municipality.
15 (ii) The liquidation of the existing indebtedness of
16 each municipality.
17 (iii) The assumption, assignment and disposition of
18 the existing liabilities of each municipality, either
19 jointly, separately or in certain defined proportions, by
20 separate rates of taxation within each of the constituent
21 municipalities until consolidation or merger becomes
22 effective pursuant to section 738 (relating to
23 effectuation of consolidation or merger).
24 (3) The agreement shall set forth the governmental
25 organization of the consolidated or merged municipality
26 insofar as it concerns elected officers and shall contain a
27 transitional plan and schedule applicable to elected
28 officers.
29 (4) The agreement shall provide for common
30 administration and uniform enforcement of ordinances within
20000H2415B3241 - 19 -
1 the consolidated or merged municipality.
2 (5) The agreement shall also provide, consistent with
3 existing law, for the implementation of a uniform tax system
4 throughout the consolidated or merged municipality which
5 shall provide the revenue necessary to fund required
6 municipal services.
7 (b) Filing.--A copy of the consolidation or merger agreement
8 under this section or the joint agreement under section 734
9 (relating to joint agreement of governing bodies) after approval
10 by the electorate shall be filed with the Department of
11 Community [Affairs] and Economic Development, the Department of
12 Transportation, the Governor's Office of Policy Development or
13 its successor, the Department of Education, the State Tax
14 Equalization Board and the Legislative Data Processing
15 Committee. A copy shall also be filed with the court of common
16 pleas and the board of county commissioners of the county or
17 counties in which municipalities affected are located.
18 Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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